Game of Hearts
by youdontknowjacques
Summary: Bella works for Edward at a law firm. What starts out as a rough relationship could turn into more. But will either of them stop getting in their own way? All human.
1. Chapter 1

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all. I'm simply borrowing these characters to fulfill my own little fantasy world.****_

"Did you not understand the instructions I gave you? This is all wrong; it doesn't look how I specified at all!" Edward… er, I mean Mr. Cullen shouts at me.

I wince, unwillingly, at his sharp tone. Just when I thought we'd made it so far, here we are back at square one.

Let me start from the beginning. My name is Isabella Swan. I hate that name so I just go by Bella. Isabella is so… snooty. I don't know what possessed my parents to call me that. I am 23 years old, and I'm a personal assistant to one of the most powerful men in San Fransisco. What that really means is that I pick up his dry cleaning, coffee, and whatever else he wants on a whim. I also assist him in preparing for important meetings, his schedule, filing, and other menial tasks.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little when I say he's one of the most important men. It makes me feel a little bit better about the way he treats me and what I do for a living if I say that. This was not my choice of career, but the pay is so good and I love living where I live. Call me shallow, but I've grown accustomed to this life at the top. It wasn't always that way.

I grew up in a small town… Forks Friggin' Washington. Typical small town, USA. The second I could get out, I did. I wanted the big time. I wanted to live in a huge city, date amazing men, meet fascinating people, and live a life anyone would envy. So how did I end up here you're wondering? Easy answer? I needed money, and I needed it fast. Whoring myself out or selling drugs was not an option, so I turned to the next best thing: personal assistant. I graduated at the top of my class in forensic science from UCLA. I always wanted to go into criminal justice. It sounded like an interesting career, one I wouldn't grow bored of easily.

When I graduated from college, I was eyeballs deep in debt, with a month left on my lease in my shitty studio apartment, and no where to go. I was not going home. I had nothing left there anyway; my parents had moved to Phoenix, Arizona to escape the cold and well, general crappiness of Forks. So I started applying for jobs and asking anyone I could think of if they knew of any.

As luck would have it, my former roommate, Jessica, worked in the same building as the law firm Edmonson Cullen & Price. It was a law firm known for their high profile cases, specifically in criminal defense. They were looking for a personal assistant for their up and coming star, Edward Cullen. No, not the Cullen from the title. This was the young son, graduated summa cum laude from Harvard Law, and well on his way to becoming a formidable opponent in the courtroom.

Not my ideal position, but it paid extremely well. Well enough for me to get a bigger apartment, pay off my debt in much less time than originally planned, and living in an awesome city. Not to mention the perks of going to star studded parties and events while assisting my new boss with his social and work schedule.

And now we're back to where we started. I'm six months into this job, and generally hating life. If I didn't know better, Jessica suggested this job as payback for some horrible thing I did to her that I don't remember. Edward Cullen is the most demanding, asinine, horrible person I've ever met in my life. He's easy on the eyes, sure, but behind his cold green eyes is a man who delights in making others miserable.

In case you're wondering, he's tall, around 6'3", looks dang good in a three piece suit, and has green eyes and a strange coppery-bronze colored hair. He looks like he belongs more in a magazine than standing in the courtroom, but I guess beauty truly is only skin deep.

I'm determined not to let him beat me though. In response to his question about my understanding his instructions I state, "No, Mr. Cullen. I understood your instructions. I just thought this way made more sense, and was less time consuming. It produced the same end result but if you'd like me to re-do it, I would be happy to stay late and work on it until it's changed to your satisfaction. Just let me know what you'd like me to do."

Tugging on the ends of his copper colored hair, he squinted at me in frustration and said. "No, no. You've been here since 5:30 as it is. Just go home. We can finish this up tomorrow. You are coming in tomorrow right?" Tomorrow being Saturday. Yes, my supposed day off. But no, instead I have to come in and re-work his entire schedule for the next week.

I reply, "Absolutely, I'll be here. Sue mentioned something about being able to wear jeans, is that still okay?"

He quickly nods his head and squints his eyes at me again. I'm beginning to wonder if there is something on my face, so I quickly wipe my hand from cheek to cheek checking for some stray food particle or something. Nope, nothing there. To my amazement, the corners of his mouth begin to twitch, almost like he's hiding a smile.

Then, as quickly as it started, it stops and the tight, irritated look is back on his face again. He turns on his heel and leaves without a second glance back. I scowl at his back, then at my desk, then at my computer screen. Why did I agree to this job? Why didn't I find out more about this man before I started? Because I was too drunk with lusting over the money to worry about it.

I pull my dark hair into a messy bun, grab my clutch and phone, and head out the door, turning off lights as I go. It's only 7:30, still early enough to get home, change, freshen up, and meet my best friends Alice and Rosalie at Jam Caddy. I get in the Town Car that's waiting to take me home (another perk of my job: car service!) and ask the driver Sam to get me home ASAP.

He laughs and asks, "Hot date tonight Miss Swan? You know your dates have to pass my inspection." He has become sort of a father figure to me out here since I started.

I giggle and tell him that no, it's just drinks with my friends. As we pull in front of my townhome, I hop out of the car and tell him to have a great weekend. He tugs on the brim of his hat, and drives off.

I open the door to my sweet place, and kick off my shoes while running upstairs. It took longer than I thought to get home, so I don't have time to change, just freshen up. Luckily the outfit I wore to work will look fine to go out in (Pic in profile). I'm wearing a coral colored linen skirt, with a mauve sleeveless blouse that has polka dots on it. Over that, I've got on a brown belt, with amazing gold detailing, and brown Mary Jane heels. I throw on some nicer earrings (coral to match my skirt), and my turquoise mother of pearl ring, and head to the bathroom.

I scrutinize myself in the mirror while trying to decide if I should wear my hair up or down. It doesn't really matter I suppose, I'll still look like me either way. I'm not ugly, but I'm not that pretty either. I'm just… me. I have dark brown hair, with blunt bangs cut into the front and layers throughout. Its a few inches past my shoulders, and it's healthy and shiny but nothing too special (Pic in profile). I have brown eyes, some freckles, and good teeth. I'm short, only 5'3" and I'm pretty curvy, which is a good thing, but the rest of me is average. Oh well, nothing much I can do about it. I decide to leave my hair in the bun (pic in profile) and run back downstairs.

Just in time too, as Rosalie and Alice are just pulling up to my front door in Rosalie's BMW. A present from her parents, she is spoiled beyond compare. Rosalie is tall, blond hair, tough, and you take a major hit to your self-esteem just by being in the same proximity as her. She works in the entertainment industry doing public relations and she's great at what she does. We were also roommates back at school and luckily ended up in the same city. Alice jumps out of the car and gives me a once over, nodding her head in approval at my outfit choice. She's shorter than me even, she says 5' even but I think more along the lines of 4'11". She's got short, spiky black hair, these amazing blue eyes, and is the friendliest person you'll ever meet in your life. She works in fashion; she actually owns her own boutique and designs most of the clothes herself. She's constantly trying to make me over, but I told her that I'm more comfortable dressing up and getting "girly" if I can do it myself. I hop in the back seat and we take off.

After parking, we walk a block or so to the bar and notice there's some sort of commotion going on right outside the front doors. It looks like a crowd has formed outside the door.

Alice says "I wonder if it's someone famous!" and we crane our necks to see if it is. Rosalie is tallest and sees some guy she pronounces is "incredibly hot, like hotter than Ryan Reynolds hot". I don't want to deal with this, not tonight, not after the day I had so I push my way through the crowd and make my way to the door. I get shoved down and my clutch flies out of my hand and lands on some guy's shoe.

I scramble over to him, and try to grab it but he's too fast. He reaches down, grabs my clutch, my hand, and pulls me up to standing.

He chuckles softly at me as I'm trying to brush off my knees and says, "Miss Swan, I didn't realize how graceful you were." My head snaps up, I recognize that voice! It's the same one that just a couple of hours ago was yelling at me about my incompetency. As I look up into Edwards amused face, my friends finally catch up to me, bitching about the crowds and let's hurry and snag a table before it's too late.

I glare up at Edward and snatch the clutch out of his hand. "Thank you for getting that, and for helping me. Now if you'll excuse me –".

I'm promptly cut off by Alice who asks, "Oh do you two know each other? I'm Alice,

and this is Rosalie" while gesturing to herself and Rose.

He answers "Yes, I'm Edward Cullen. Miss Swan is my assistant. Nice to meet both of you ladies."

Who is this charming man, and what has he done with my horrible boss? I shake my head in confusion and thank him again for helping me.

He responds, "Why don't you three ladies join me and my friends inside for drinks? We can get out of these crowds; we've already got a table." I nod my head while my friends gush over how nice he is being.

As we walk inside, Alice furiously whispers, "Isn't this the guy you've been complaining about since you started your job? I thought he was a major dick or something given the way you talk about him! He's so nice and hot! How do you get any work done with him around?"

Rosalie nods her head quickly in agreement, "Seriously, if I were you I'd totally tap that!"

I grimace at both of them, "I don't know what's going on. He is not like this normally; I'm just as confused as you are."

We make it to the table Edward mentioned, in the back of the bar (of course) and I see two guys waiting for him there. One of them I recognize from work, although I haven't spoken to him before. The other is a complete stranger to me.

Edward introduces us to them, "This is Jasper Whitlock, and he's an attorney at the firm. I'm sure you've seen him around Miss Swan. This is Emmett McCarty, he works for the 49ers doing publicity. Guys, this is Isabella Swan, Rosalie Hale, and Alice Brandon. Isabella is my assistant at the firm."

Jasper smiles at us, and then quickly gets up out of his seat and pulls out Alice's chair for her. "Pleased to meet you ma'am. Let met get that for you" he drawls in an unmistakable southern accent. Alice is clearly smitten, making gaga eyes at him as he takes the seat next to her.

Emmett panics and grabs the chair next to him, pulling it out for Rosalie and says "Oh yeah, you can come sit by me. It's great to meet you, what do you do?" And the four of them begin their own private conversations.

This leaves me and Edward to fend for ourselves. I start with, "Thanks again for helping me back there. Someone pushed me; I'm not normally that clumsy. Also, can you just call me Bella instead of Isabella or Miss Swan? It feels too… I don't know; formal or something. We're not at work you know."

He laughs, "Absolutely. I was just teasing you back there; I've never seen you fall at work so how would I know if you were clumsy or not. And Bella it is. You can just call me Edward, no Mr. Cullen here. So what are you having tonight, I'll go grab it for you."

I ask for a mojito, and he takes orders from the rest of the table. I sit down quietly and try to make sense of what just happened. He is back before I have much time to come to any conclusions. He hands me my drink and informs the table that a waiter will be bringing the rest over shortly.

"So, _Bella_. What do you do in your spare time? Come here often?"

I giggle, "Nice line Edward. A little outdated if you ask me." He smiles as I continue. "Yeah, we come here quite a bit. They have great drinks and it's a cool atmosphere. In my spare time? I don't have much spare time, but I spend a lot of it reading and watching movies. What about you?"

"Do I come here often or what do I do in my spare time?" he asks.

"Both."

"I come here about once a week. I'm glad you think good things about it. It really is a pretty nice place; at least I like to think so. As for spare time, well… you do my schedule so you should know that I don't have any" he says.

That was a weird response about the bar. Eh, he's obviously a weird person; switching personalities on me like that.

I laugh, "Spare time? What do you call this? You're not working right now, so I'd call this time 'spare'."

"Okay, you caught me. What kind of movies do you like to watch? Any suggestions? It's been a while since I've been out to see one"

"I tend to like old movies best, and I haven't been out to see any new movies for a while because of… things." For some reason, I feel weird mentioning work as my reason for not being able to get out more. Why should I though? He knows how much he works me! My lack of social life is his fault! I start to get angry. "Maybe if I didn't work such long hours, I'd have more time for a social life and wouldn't have to scrounge around on Friday nights to find time to see movies or spend with my friends. But that doesn't seem to faze you, seeing how much time YOU spend in the office" I snap at him.

Edward looks a little confused and blinks slowly at me a couple times before realization dawns on his face. As I watch, the stoniness I'm used to seeing at work creeps into the fine lines around his eyes, into his jaw, and into his mouth. He clenches his jaw, almost like he's working through something in his mind before he says, "Fair enough. I can see tonight was a mistake. I apologize for offending you or if I crossed some sort of line with you. I promise it won't happen again."

As he's talking, I start to feel guilty. "I'm sorry, that was completely uncalled for. I am totally out of pl-" I start to say but he interrupts me.

"No. You're absolutely right. As your superior, I should maintain a level of professionalism at all times, no matter where we are. Just forget this ever happened. I'll just see you tomorrow morning at the office. Be sure to have my coffee ready."

With that, he rises from his chair, thanks everyone for the night out, and leaves. I'm having trouble processing what had just happened. Sure, I was out of line. I shouldn't have told him how I felt in such a hasty way. I should have brought it up to him, one on one, in the privacy of our office. What was I thinking? My big mouth is forever getting me into trouble. Alice and Rose both look at me with questions plain and clear on their faces.

I quietly say "Jasper, Emmett, it was great meeting you. Jasper, I'll see you Monday morning. Alice, Rose, I'll see you later. Just call me this weekend and we'll figure out our brunch plans."

I pick up my clutch, and walk as quickly as possible to the door, pushing people out of my way as I go. Tears were stinging my eyes the moment I pushed myself away from the table, but I shook my head quickly and forced them to stay at bay. I wait at the curb for a cab to pull up, but this block seems devoid of them.

Eventually, I walk down the street a block, and lo and behold there are 5 cabs waiting. I hop in the first one I see, and give the cabbie my address. I'm completely humiliated. Why did I have to say anything? I decide on the way back to my house that it's due to the exhaustion I feel from the long week I've had, and first thing I'm going to do tomorrow morning is apologize to Edward for how I acted. I glance at my phone for the time and realize I'll only be getting six hours of sleep as it is, so I better make them count.

We pull up to my house, and I give him cab fare as stepping out of the cab. As soon as

I'm in the door, I head upstairs to my bedroom where my incredibly comfortable bed is waiting for me. I pull off articles of clothing as I go, leaving my shoes and shirt in the hall way, and my skirt on the end of my bed. I pull on my gray sweatpants, a green tank top, and a gray hoodie (pic on profile) and crawl into bed. I set my alarm for 5:00 am and turn off my bedside lamp, forgoing even washing my face or brushing my teeth. I didn't realize how tired I was until I climbed into bed, and sleep overcomes me quickly.


	2. Chapter 2

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all. I'm simply borrowing these characters to fulfill my own little fantasy world.****_

*_beep beep beep beep beeeeeeeeeeeep*_

Ugh. There is no way in HELL that was 6 hours of sleep. I slap my alarm clock over and over again, trying to break through this haze of sleep and find the "off" button at the same time. Finally the insane beeping stops.

I swing my legs around to the side of my bed, shove my feet into my gray Ugg boots, and shuffle to the bathroom to start getting ready for the rough day ahead. Thank goodness they agreed for Saturday to be a casual day at work. I don't think I'd survive very long if I had to get fully dressed up to go in. I hop in the shower, washing the grime of the previous day off my face. I quickly scrub my body and hair and jump out.

My hair is thick and takes me at least 20 minutes to blow dry completely. I decide to leave it straight today rather than struggling to style it much more than that. I brush my teeth while waiting for my straightener to heat up, and then quickly swipe on a bit of make up. Some gel blush on the apples of my cheeks, eggplant eyeliner, and 3 brushes of mascara and I'm done. I straighten the ends of my hair and bangs, and work some wax in as well for good measure. I glance at myself in the mirror and decide it's as good as it's gonna get.

Heading into my closet, I grab the first few items of clothes I think of. My favorite pair of jeans, a tan tunic with skinny belt, and my gold herringbone Toms (for comfort). Sliding in a pair of gold studs, a long disc necklace, and a cool abstract ring I picked up with my first paycheck, I move onto my purse. I shove everything from my clutch into my forest green Marc Jacobs bag, and pull my phone from the charger (pic on profile).

Looking at the clock, I realize I have about 30 minutes to get out of the house and to Starbucks if I want to make it into the office on time. I hurry and run downstairs, calling car service on the way. Luckily there is a Starbucks on the corner down the street from the office, so I'll be just fine if traffic cooperates.

I wait outside for about 15 minutes, checking emails on my phone, and here comes my knight in shining armor. The car pulls up and Sam leaps out to open my door for me. I thank him and ask him how his night was.

"Didn't do much last night Miss Swan. Just stayed in with my lovely wife, and got caught up on some reading. How was your night?"

"It could have gone better, although with the way the rest of the day went I'm not too surprised. But I'm sure the rest of this weekend will be great. I've got brunch planned for tomorrow morning with my best friends, and a girl can't ask for more than that right?" I respond.

He chuckles and agrees, and we pull up to Starbucks.

"Just drop me here; I'll walk back to the office." I tell him, and even though he's unhappy about it, he says yes. I run inside Starbucks, which is thankfully empty.

I head to the counter to order: one caramel Frappucino for me (heaven in a cup) and one black coffee, one raw sugar for Edward. I wait a few minutes for the coffees to be made, and also grab a blueberry muffin to get me through the morning hunger. I glance at my phone for the time, 7:00. Oh crap! I'm going to be late, and Edward will kill me.

I beg the barista to hurry, and she smiles at me sympathetically and gets my order ready to go. I pay and run out the door and head up the block to my office. Sprinting through the front door, I see someone heading into the elevator and shout "Hold it please!" Just as the doors are closing, I squeeze in, almost spilling both drinks down the front of my shirt but somehow I manage not to.

Giggling, I thank the stranger while fixing the cups in their holder and then glance up to see who it is. A pair of cool green eyes gaze down at me as Edward says "You do realize its 7:15 and that you're officially late for the day."

I nod curtly and apologize, "I'm sorry. I was running late this morning and then had to pick up your coffee. It won't happen again." I can't believe the nerve of this guy, I picked up his damn coffee and he couldn't have even have said THANK YOU like a decent human being? Of course not; his brain probably can't wrap around common courtesy like that. I begin to register the fact that he's dressed up in a full suit: vest, cufflinks, the works.

I peer at myself discreetly in the reflection on the door, and hope to hell that he doesn't decide my outfit isn't "work appropriate". As if he can read my mind, he softly says, "You look fine Miss Swan. I have a meeting after work I have to get to and I don't have time to change. Normally I wouldn't dress like this for a Saturday at the office."

"I wasn't worried; I don't know what gave you that idea." I snap at him. Oh. My. Gosh. What is wrong with me? It's like my polite filter has stopped working. I take a deep breath and say, "I mean, I was a little worried. I don't want to look unprofessional and I wasn't sure what would be okay to wear. Thanks for letting me know. Oh! Here is your coffee as well."

As I hand him his cup, my phone slips from my fingers and falls to the ground. I quickly duck down to grab it and my hair snags in his cufflink. "OW! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Hold on, let me untangle myself."

By reflex he pulls his arm back, effectively snagging my hair even further. "Hold still!" he shouts at me, "I'll get you untangled if you'll just stop squirming."

I kneel down, and patiently wait for him to get me unstuck. I can't stop blushing, this is one of the most embarrassing moments I've had at this job. It's like my motor functions stop working around Edward. He gently pulls at my hair, and finally brushes the loose strands behind my ear. "All better. You can get up now" he says. He reaches down, and helps me back up.

"Thank you. I'm sorry again" I quietly respond. The doors open up at our floor, and we exit without another word. I head right to my desk, and try to calm myself down. I can tell my face is still flaming, and I've suddenly lost my appetite. I look at my muffin with disdain, and decide to see if I can salvage the situation.

Edward is looking through his emails as I walk in his office.

"I bought this muffin for you, I thought you might be hungry this morning. Everyone likes blueberry muffins right?" I ask.

He looks at me thoughtfully before offering a hesitant smile. "I do like muffins, thank you for thinking of me. If you're sure you're not going to eat it, I'd be happy to take it. I didn't get the chance to eat this morning."

I smile back and set it on his desk with a napkin, "If you need anything else, just let me know." He nods and looks back as his computer. I walk back to my desk and as I'm sitting down, Jasper comes up.

"Hey Bella, it was good to meet you last night. Sorry things got a little weird" he says.

I look at him in surprise and ask, "How did you know to call me Bella?"

He laughs, "Alice told me after you guys left. She's really great, so is Rosalie. Emmett couldn't stop talking about her after we left. So how are things going this morning?"

I tell him about the elevator debacle and cringe when he laughs some more at my expense. He mentions that he thinks Edward is just trying to put on a hard front so that the partners will think he's serious about the job.

"Well I've got to get with Edward about a couple of things so I'll stop wasting your time and let you get back to work. Don't be a stranger, come by my office some time and say hi. Have a great weekend if I don't see you again" he says as he walks away from my desk. I smile to myself, finally a coworker I feel like I can be myself around. I grab my drink, take a big swallow, and tuck into my work.

Around 11:30, my stomach starts to growl and I realize how much I miss my muffin. I save my work, and head into Edward's office. He's on a phone call and hasn't noticed me yet. I take a few moments to study him while he's working. He really is good looking. I guess I'd been clouded over by dislike for him for so long I hadn't really taken the chance to notice. He has a strong jaw, with just a slight brush of stubble running over it. He looks fit (from what I can see through the light blue shirt he's wearing) and has broad shoulders. Almost as if it's a nervous habit, he tugs at the end of his hair when thinking and pinches the bridge of his amazingly straight nose when frustrated.

As I'm lost in staring at him, he finishes his phone call and looks my way. I quickly straighten up and ask, "I'm a little hungry and thought I might pick up some lunch. Would you like anything?"

He asks me to pick him up a Black Tiger roll from the sushi place down the street, "I know it's not open yet, but if you call and ask for Kenji, he'll know who I am and will open up for you."

I nod my head, and turn to leave. As I'm walking out the door, he stands up, "Wait. I'll just go with you. It'll be good for me to get out of the office for a little bit." I'm so surprised; I just sit there with my mouth open.

"Miss Swan," he says, "I do leave this office once in a while. It's as if you think I live here."

Laughing, I quickly answer, "I was mostly just surprised you're leaving in the middle of the day. I'm happy for the company though. I'll just grab my purse and we can go."

Edward heads over to the bank of elevators and waits for me. I grab my bag and cell phone, and jog over to him. We head down to the street and as we walk out the doors, he begins to stretch his arms over his head and roll his head from side to side. He's clearly exhausted and has a lot on his mind. We walk down to the sushi restaurant in silence, as I try to decide what to say to him. "So you must eat here often for them to know you by name and open up just for you" I comment.

"Well to be honest, I am somewhat… invested in it. That's just one of the perks of helping out a friend I suppose" he answers. I'm surprised to say the least. That doesn't sound very Edward-ish.

We stop in front of a restaurant with a huge plate glass window and a red door. In lime green writing above the window there is a sign, _Naked Fish. _I like the look of this place. I can see inside its clean and bright and somewhere I'm already planning on going to with Alice and Rose. Edward knocks on the door at the shop and a Japanese man opens the door.

As we walk inside he introduces us, "Kenji, this is Miss Swan. Miss Swan, Kenji. Miss Swan is my assistant. She may be coming by more frequently after today so make sure you treat her right." He smiles at me as he says this and it seems almost flirty. No, that has to be my imagination. I'm just hungry and seeing things that aren't there.

To Kenji I add, "You can call me Bella. It's nice to meet you." I look at the menu that Kenji has handed me and decide on an order of garlic edamame, a Las Vegas roll, and an order of mushroom miso soup. It all sounds delicious and the more I look at it, the more I'm impressed. Edward orders a Black Tiger roll, an order of mackerel sushi, and an order of spicy tuna rolls. He leads me to the bar so we can talk to Kenji while our food is being prepared.

"Do you speak any Japanese?" I ask Edward.

He nods his head and replies, "A little. I met Kenji when I studied in Tokyo for a year during college. I wanted my chance to see the world a little bit and Japan has always fascinated me. So I went to a language school for a year and met a bunch of amazing people. Kenji helped tutor me while I was studying and I found out he'd always wanted to open a restaurant. I told him if he ever made it over here, I'd go in on it with him. I had the resources and it sounded like an interesting venture. Two years ago, he showed up here in San Francisco, and gave me a call. It was pretty much fate from there. We opened up about eight months ago, and things are looking pretty good. We got a great review in the Chronicle and that's brought in a lot of business. You can have my discount anytime you want to stop by. It's the least I can do for you."

Again, he's managed to completely side swipe me with how nice he's being. I respond, "Thanks, but you really don't have to do that. I don't want you guys to lose money over me."

He laughs, "It's really not a problem. Besides if you're picking up food for me, you'd get one anyway so it's not affecting anything. I take it you've never been here."

"No," I reply, "but to be honest I didn't know it existed. I usually take lunch to work, or run to the café downstairs. I don't have much time to try new places but I'm glad I know about it."

At my last comment, I notice Edward winces slightly. I continue to babble, trying to get back to the somewhat friendly conversation we were having, "I mean, I have stuff I have to do at home after work and so I don't really get the chance to go out much. And my lunches aren't very long so I can't go far…" I slowly break off. I'm just digging myself into a bigger hole here. Shutting up is definitely the best route at this point.

"About that, Miss Swan – " Edward starts.

I cut him off, "Please call me Bella. It's okay to do that, I promise."

He continues, "Okay, Bella. I have been a little, shall we say, demanding. I apologize. I wasn't sure what to expect out of an assistant, and in discussing it with others in our office I realized I have had unrealistic expectations. These long hour days, and short lunches will stop. I want you to enjoy your job for as long as you have it. I know this isn't what you want to do with your career; Alice filled Jasper in on what you want to do and how you feel about this position. If you have any problems with something I ask you to do, please let me know. I just hope we can maintain a friendly work relationship."

I blush at this, "I should have known Alice would spill the beans about me. She never was good at keeping secrets. I shouldn't have snapped at you about things. These last six months have been a challange, but I should have just talked to you about it from the beginning rather than letting my frustration build up. I'm really sorry about last night. It was very unprofessional of me."

Before we can talk anymore, Kenji brings our food out. I start taking my company credit card out of my wallet but Edward stops me,

"Let me get this, it's been a while since I've had any company for lunch. It's my treat." He hands over his slick, black credit card, but it's not the company card. It's his personal account. What is he doing? He signs the receipt and we head out the door.

"Thank you for the food. It all looks delicious; I'm excited to try it." I start heading up the block to our office and he puts a hand on my arm to stop me.

"Wait, it's so nice today. We should eat out here instead of going back inside. Besides, I know you're almost done with what you have to do today." As I glance up at him, his eyes are pleading with me to agree but his mouth is in a tight line. What else can I do?

I nod my head in agreement and Edward's mouth widens into a grin I've never seen on his face before. He's never looked as good to me as he does when he's happy like this. He leads me to a small park that's about a half block down from the restaurant. There are benches scattered around, and he picks one. I sit down on the ground so I can use the bench as a table. He laughs at this.

"Trust me," I quip, "you don't want to take the risk that I'll spill all over the both of us."

Edward gives me the bag holding my food, and a pair of chopsticks. I open it up, and the smell of the food is almost overpowering; it's so delicious. I quickly pull out my soup and other food. As I begin to eat, it's so good I moan in delight without realizing it.

Edward's head snaps up, and he grins at me, "That good, huh?"

I blush and clear my throat, "I can appreciate a great meal when I have one. This is awesome. Seriously, this may become my new go-to restaurant."

"Now you know why I decided to go in on it with Kenji. He's got some major talent. He cooks all the food himself. Me? I couldn't make toast without burning it. I eat out almost every meal. Or go to my parent's house. My mom is a pretty good cook."

I just roll my eyes at him. "Good? Isn't your mom a chef? She has cookbooks out and everything, right? I'd say that's kind of an understatement." He has no answer to this, just looks a little sheepish. I cannot figure this guy out. One minute he's a tyrant, next he's the most charming man alive.

We finish eating our food in silence, and clean up. Edward takes my bag of trash from me and jogs over to the nearby trashcan to throw it away. Then we head back to the office.

As we're walking Edward says, "If you're finished up with what you have to do today you can head out. I don't have anything else for you." He pauses for a moment and then continues, "Actually, I do have one more thing I need from you. Are you busy tonight?"

My mind starts going a million miles an hour. Is he asking me out? Is this okay given our professional relationship? Should I lie and make something up? I hadn't made any plans for today because I wasn't sure how long I'd be at the office.

My inherent need to be honest wins over and I say, "No. I wasn't sure what I'd have going on today so I left the day open. Why?"

"I've got a charity event to go to tonight and I need someone to go with. I know it's not technically in your job description, but it's not unlike any other work event you've had to go to with me. I just don't think it'd be wise to ask another woman, given that it's such short notice." Edward notices my hesitation and adds, "You can say no. I won't be angry and it won't hurt your job if that's what you're worried about. Honestly, I just enjoyed our talk today and thought it'd be nice to go to one of these things with someone I can talk to."

Well what do you know? He actually enjoyed talking to me today. I finally find my voice, "Of course, I'd love to come. What time is it at and how should I dress?" He gives me the details: it starts at 8:00 and it's a cocktail party. He'll send a car around 7:30 to pick me up.

We are back at the office now, and we head upstairs. We ride up the elevator in companionable silence, as I try to figure out what I have in my closet that is okay to wear to a cocktail party. A whole lotta nothing, that's what. I'm going to have to submit to Alice's whims on this one.

Once we're back upstairs, Edward heads into his office. On the way in he says, "So I'll see you at 8:00. Thanks for going; it's really going to help me out a lot."

"I'm happy to help. I'll see you then." He smiles at me again briefly and disappears into his office.

I quickly go over my work to make sure I'm done, and save it again. Then I log out of the computer, and grab my purse and cell phone and head for the elevators.

I call Alice on my way out of the building, "Alice, I need your help. I have this cocktail-charity event thingy to go to tonight and have nothing to wear."

I have to hold the phone away from my ear while she screams into it. "Oh I have the perfect outfit for you! It's about time you let me give you some help. I'll be over in two hours!" and with that she hangs up the phone. I don't even have time to tell her that I've still got almost five hours before I have to be ready to go. Oh well, that's Alice for you.

I get home and start picking up from the night before. Then I sit down on my bed and turn on my T.V. I just need something mind-numbing in the background while I try and figure out what's going on with Edward. I don't think he likes me, at least not outside of a professional, friendly way. But he was acting so strange today, teasing me and smiling all the time. Maybe that's just how he normally is outside of work. I'm going to have to see how he acts tonight to make a real call.

Before I know it, Alice is banging on my door. I run downstairs and open it for her. "Geez girl. I've been out here forever waiting for your lazy bum to open it up!" she shouts.

"Sorry Alice, I was upstairs and didn't hear you." I reply.

She just giggles and grabs my hand. "We've got a ton to do and only a little bit of time to do it." She shoves me into the bathroom, "Shave your legs, and wash your face. I need a clean slate to work with." I just grimace and do as I'm told.

Once I'm done with everything, I head out of the bathroom in my robe. Alice is organizing some things on the bed. She's brought out a yellow taffeta dress with a gray velvet bow around the waist. It's short, and strapless, and nothing I would have picked out for myself. Along with that, she lays a pair of gray suede booties, with big rosettes on the sides, a turquoise clutch with beading all over, and a beautiful gold bracelet with diamonds and a large turquoise oval on the top (pic on profile).

"Okay, you need to wear your turquoise teardrop earrings with this outfit. Obviously they don't match exactly but the colors are similar enough that it will look good" Alice states. She starts rummaging through my jewelry and finds what she's looking for.

"Alice, this isn't really 'me' is it? I mean, I don't wear mini-dresses. I wear cardigans, and tights, and stuff like that."

She just glares at me and asks, "Did you ask for my help or not? Now get your ass in gear, I still have to fix your hair and make up." She throws me a strapless bra and some lacy boyshorts. I put them on, followed by my robe again, and she tells me to sit down on the stool in front of my bathroom vanity.

Alice starts her magic. She begins with my make up, giving me a silvery smoky eye; nothing too dramatic, but enough for something special. Then she gives me a little bit of blush with my gel blush, and some soft pink lips (pic on profile). Moving onto my hair, Alice curls the ends just a little, then pulls it half up, leaving it simple and pretty. She sprays some gloss spray onto my hair and I hop off the stool. She helps me into my dress and adjusts my hair so it, as she puts it, "falls just the right way." I sit down on the bed, and pull on my shoes, and then slip my jewelry on. I look in the mirror and I'm surprised at what she's done. I actually look really good.

As I'm getting my clutch ready to go, she stops me and says, "In all my excitement I didn't ask who you were going to this with."

I blush and stammer, "Well… I'm going with Edward. Just as a favor to him."

She laughs and says "I knew that! Jasper told me! I just wanted to see your reaction, and you totally like him I can tell! Jasper said that Edward told him that you confused and fascinated him and that he thought you were so pretty that you were a distraction at work. Maybe that's why he's such a jerk to you all the time. But the fact he's asking you to go to this with him must mean that he likes you right?"

I slap my hand over her mouth to get her to shut up already. "Alice, he doesn't like me. I'm doing this as a favor to him. He didn't get a date, and it was so last minute that I felt bad saying no."

She shrugs her shoulders and looks at me out of the corner of her eye as she fixes her hair in the mirror, "It's just been so long since you met a nice guy that I'm excited for you. Whether you want to admit it or not, there is _something _between the two of you." She gives me a once over. "Well I've done all I can do. Go out and be free my little canary." I give Alice a hug and thank her profusely for helping me get ready.

By now, it's about time to leave so we head downstairs together. Alice hails a cab and gets in. She quickly rolls down the window, gives me a small smile and shouts, "B, don't be afraid to let something happen. Be open to whatever he is offering you."

With those words of wisdom, her cab pulls away from the curb. I lean against my door frame and wonder what she means by that. There is no way Edward likes me as anything beyond a coworker. I don't have much time to think about it though, as a sleek, black limo pulls up to my curb after a few moments of musing. As I walk down my front steps, the door opens and a pair of long legs clad in gray step out of the door. My heart skips a beat and I realize its Edward stepping out of the car.


	3. Chapter 3

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all. I'm simply borrowing these characters to fulfill my own little fantasy world.****_

Edward strolls up to my steps and waits for me at the bottom. He gives me a once… no twice over! "Bella, you look… nice." he murmurs.

Inside I flinch, that wasn't the compliment I was expecting. Maybe I didn't look as good as I thought I did. I smile at him and say, "You don't look too shabby yourself." He's wearing a fitted gray suit, with a blue striped shirt and dark gray tie (pic on profile).

As we walk to the limo, Edward places his hand on my lower back. It's a little too close for comfort, so I slip into the car and sit on the far side away from him. He looks surprised to see how far away I sat but doesn't say anything about it, instead telling me about who we'll be meeting tonight.

"I know you haven't met my father yet, but he's going to be there with my mother and so you'll finally meet the illustrious Carlisle Cullen I'm sure you've heard all about. You already know who my mother is, Esme. She'll think it's great I brought a girl with me tonight so don't get overwhelmed by her. Also, the other partners, Jacob Edmonson and Brian Price will be there, along with some of the other attorneys we work with like Jasper, and Mike Welch. Um, what else do you need to know? Oh I guess you'd like to know what the charity is for. It's for a charity called Pictures of Hope. It's to assist law enforcement with missing children's cases. It helps them fund the man power needed for searches, and helps set up things like shelter for home base and things like that. They do an annual art auction to raise money and that's why we're going tonight. If you see anything that strikes you, let me know. I'd like to look for a piece for my office so keep your eye out."

I nod and ask how he found out about the charity. He vaguely says that it has a special, personal meaning to him, and leaves it at that.

The ride to the party takes about twenty minutes, and we pull up to a beautiful glass building that is brightly lit up from the inside. There are tons of cars pulling up to the front, letting those inside out to join the party. It appears to be one of the star-studded events I'd heard about but had yet to go to for work. I can see reporters and paparazzi lining the sidewalk outside the entrance, hoping to get a picture of someone famous. Good thing I'm no one to care about.

As we pull up to the entrance, Edward looks at me with a slightly panicked look on his face. "I hope you're ready for a lot of pictures to be taken of you. Because of my parents, I'm fairly well known in these circles and I'm afraid I can't really escape it."

My heart starts beating about a million miles a minute. I think he can read the panic on my face because he breaks out into a huge grin. "Just think of it as high school yearbook photo day" and with that the door opens and he pulls me out of the limo.

I quickly plaster a smile on my face, and hope I don't look as horrified as I feel. Left and right flash bulbs are flashing brightly and I grip my clutch and try to walk through the chaos as quickly and gracefully as possible. I stumble over a bump in the sidewalk and Edward grabs my hand and pulls me to him. "Just stay by me and smile" he whispers in my ear.

Goosebumps break out all up and down my neck where I felt Edward's hot breath. He slides his hand up my arm to my elbow, and then around to my back. He propels me forward, and we make it inside the doors. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, and he chuckles lowly at my reaction. "I should have warned you before we got here, not as we were leaving the car. Sorry about that."

I laugh shakily. "It's fine. I just didn't know what to expect by it that's all. Thanks for helping me out there. The last thing I need is my faceplant plastered all over the papers in the morning."

"How about we go get a drink? Then I'll introduce you to everyone."

I nod in agreement. Edward smiles nervously at me and gestures to where we need to go. I lead the way, trying to calm my nerves and pounding heart. He's making me flustered and I can't figure out why. Okay, I have a slight idea. It's been years since I was attracted to any man, let alone one as handsome and charming as Edward is.

When we get to the bar, Edward asks for two champagnes. He hands me my flute and makes a cheers motion to me before taking a big drink. I sip mine and glance around the room. There are politicians, local celebrities, and sports stars all around. The event is in a large room in the middle of a beautiful modern art museum. It's mostly glass and bright lights. I make a mental note to come here sometime and check the exhibits out. Edward asks me if there is anyone I'd like to meet and I decline. I'm not about to embarrass myself by acting like a fan girl.

An extremely handsome man and his beautiful wife come over to us, holding hands and looking very in love. Edward smiles at them. "Mom, dad, this is Bella. Bella, these are my parents Carlisle and Esme Cullen."

Carlisle sticks out his hand and shakes mine vigorously. "So you're the new girl at the firm? I'm glad I finally get to meet you. I hope our son isn't being too hard on you." He winks at me and smiles.

Esme also shakes my hand and thanks me for finally getting Edward to an event. "It's been about a year since Edward has come out with us. He's been so busy and hasn't made much of an effort to socialize. It's nice to see a beautiful girl helping him come out of his shell."

Edward grimaces and rubs his hand along the back of his neck nervously. "Okay, okay. Enough about my social life, or lack thereof. I'm going to take Bella around to view some of the exhibits and we'll meet up with you when the auction starts." With that he snakes an arm around my waist and steers me towards the staircase. I snatch a flute of champagne from a passing waiter as we head up the stairs and sip it quickly.

"Have you ever been here before?"

"No, I'm glad we get the chance to see some of the pieces tonight though. I love coming to museums though. There is something so peaceful about them."

"Well you're in for a treat. This museum has a bunch of amazing pieces. We can't see them all tonight but I'll show you a few of my favorites." Edward takes my hand and leads me up the stairs and it's as if every nerve in my body is standing on end. I pull my hand loose when we get to the top, and fix my hair so it will seem less obvious that I'm trying to get away. He glances down at his hand and then up at my face as if to read what I'm thinking. Carefully I avert my eyes and fixate on the first painting I see.

"Wow, this is incredible. It's amazing to me that someone can be so creative and is able to bring out such emotion using simple tools like paint, or a pencil. Or people who can play instruments. How can you portray an emotion through music so well? It makes me wish I had a talent like that. Do you do anything like that?"

"I play the piano; have since I was six years old. The older I get, I find that I have less time to play but I still enjoy it."

"Well I'm jealous. You are officially cool in my book. I've got no talents to brag about."

Edward laughs and says, "I'm sure you've got many talents. You are being too hard on yourself. If being beautiful was a talent, you're obviously a prodigy." I shake my head. He leans against the balcony and smirks. "I'm sure you don't hear that as often as you should, given your response."

My face feels hot, so I'm sure I'm blushing. "Is there a restroom in here?" I ask quickly.

"Yes. Just head downstairs and take a left. It's just down the hallway; you can't miss it."

I excuse myself and go downstairs. As I pass a waiter, I grab another flute of champagne and gulp it down as I walk down the hall. I find the restroom and step inside. There isn't anyone in here, so I lean against the cool wall and stare at my reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror. I'm flushed, all over, and my head feels overheated. I take a few deep breaths and go to the sink. I take a little bit of cold water and rub it on my neck and shoulders.

"Okay" I say to myself, "you need to calm the hell down. Don't read too much into his behavior. He probably does this with every girl he goes out with. He's your boss and you can't entertain the thought of anything besides a professional relationship."

As I'm lecturing myself, I hear the door open so I quickly duck into a stall. I hear the quick staccato of two pairs of stilettos which stop at the mirror in front of my stall.

"Can you believe that girl that Edward is here with? Who does she think she is? Playing dress up and trying to impress someone like that? I don't think so!" one woman comments.

"I know. She's such a joke; she doesn't even realize she's the laughingstock of the whole party. It's too bad he made a bet on such an easy target" her friend replies in a nasally voice. "Really, I heard she is his assistant. Probably trying to sleep her way to the top. I'm sure she fell for his lines hook, line, and sinker."

My stomach drops to the floor. Is that what all of these people think about me? What did I think would happen by coming here tonight? What bet are they talking about? I don't fit in with this group of people. I wait quietly in my stall until I hear them leave and fight back hot tears of shame. I'm so embarrassed about what I heard. I need to calm down before I go back out to the party. I take more deep breaths, this time to stop myself from crying, and I quietly walk out the door. I grab another flute of champagne which I drink in about two swallows and Edward appears by my side.

"I thought you ran away; you were gone so long." He smiles at me, and the smile seems fake. Maybe it's just all the alcohol talking but I suddenly feel bold.

I challenge him, "Why did you bring me here tonight? To make people laugh? Well it worked. I look like a complete fool. So cheers to that and cheers to you." I tip my glass at him and walk away, leaving him in stunned silence.

I head for the door, and Edward follows. "Bella! Wait!" he shouts to me. People are looking at us, wondering what the commotion is all about. I just keep my head high and keep walking. He finally catches up to me. "What happened? What did I do?"

"Does it really matter? This was all a mistake. I shouldn't be coming to places like this with you. I should just leave." A tear has made its way down my cheek by now. This is just icing on the cake.

Edward reaches his hand out and then stops. "I'm not sure what happened, or what I did to make you upset but I'm sorry. Let me at least take you home and make sure you get there okay." He makes a quick call on his cell phone while I stand next to him awkwardly trying to keep myself from crying. "I really wish you'd tell me what happened" he mumbles quietly.

I breathe in and out a few times and stare up at the streetlamp that's just ahead of us. "I'd really rather not talk about it right now. I just want to go home." The limo pulls up to the curb and I walk to it quickly. Edward follows, and opens the door for me. I slide in and look out the opposite window, twisting my bracelet around my wrist over and over.

The car ride back to my house is filled with awkward silence. When we're a few blocks away, Edward places his hand over mine to still it. "Bella, I want to fix whatever happened. I hope you can tell me what I did to make you upset. I understand if you don't want to talk about it now but hopefully soon."

I shrug my shoulders and slide out of the car. As I start walking up to my door, I stumble and realize I'm pretty drunk. I should remember not to drink so much on an empty stomach; all that champagne and I hadn't eaten since lunchtime. I get pretty emotional when I drink that much. Edward rolls down his window and calls to me but I ignore him and open my door to go inside. As soon as I'm in, I head upstairs and after I've taken off my dress and shoes, I climb into bed. I am barely under the covers when I fall asleep. Luckily, it's a dreamless sleep…


	4. Chapter 4

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all. I'm simply borrowing these characters to fulfill my own little fantasy world.****_

What is that obnoxious noise? My head throbbing, I fall out of bed trying to find the lamp. I realize it's my phone, so I crawl over to where I dropped my clutch and pull it out. "Alice" the screen is blaring at me. I quickly answer, "Hello?" I groggily ask.

"WAKE UP! You do realize we have plans for this morning right? You have exactly one hour to get ready and meet us at The Copper Onion" she shouts.

Clutching my head, I whisper, "Please don't scream. I have the worst hangover right now. Thanks for waking me up though; I would have slept all morning."

"Oooh, you must have had a really good night! You lucky girl; you better spill all the details at brunch. I'll see you in an hour" she says before hanging up on me. She really has to stop doing that.

I groggily stand up, unbalanced, and head straight for the bathroom. I take two aspirin, and drink a huge glass of water. I look in the mirror; last night is apparent on my face. I wash my face and pull my bangs and hair up into a top knot. As I'm brushing my teeth I try to remember what happened last night. The conversation I heard in the bathroom comes flooding back to me and I cringe, trying to remember what happened after that. Right around my third or fourth glass of champagne, it all gets a little fuzzy. Can I rely on Edward to fill in the blanks?

I hop in the shower, forgoing washing my hair. I wrap myself in a huge towel and put on a little bit of mascara and some chapstick. I head to my bedroom to get dressed. Slipping on a white lace bra and some matching panties, I look in my closet for something to wear. I grab a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans, rolled up at the ankles. On top of that, I throw a rust colored burnout tee, some gold leaf earrings, a pair of brown leather sandals, and a brown leather purse (pic on profile). I look at the clock and realize that I need to head out. I grab my cell phone from the side table, and head downstairs.

Opening my door I see a large and beautiful bouquet of white and yellow orchids sitting on my front step (pic on profile). Leaning down to pick it up, I notice a small card attached. I bring the arrangement inside and set it on my coffee table. I open up the envelope and inside is a note:

_I feel awful about last night. I hope I can make it up to you. Please give me the chance to make things right. Have a wonderful weekend._

_-Edward_

I've never received a bouquet from anyone, let alone a boss. I'm speechless, and more than a little stunned. I'm going to have to thank him for this but I'm not sure how. An email? Too impersonal. A note? When would I give it to him? I guess I'd have to call him. This was going to be an awkward phone call. I definitely need to discuss this with Alice and Rose; they always seem to know how to get me out of these sticky situations.

I smell my flowers one last time and then leave. I hail a passing cab and give him the address. As we drive over to the café, I think about what I can say to Edward to find out what happened last night and apologize for how I acted. I clearly got drunk enough to act out, but what did I say or do that made him feel like he had to apologize? I don't have much time to dwell on it; we've pulled up to the restaurant. I pay the cabbie and step out. Alice and Rosalie are waiting for me at a table outside.

"I didn't realize this was a formal affair." I gawk at them. Both girls are dressed up to the nines and snicker at me.

"When will you realize that everything we do is a formal affair?" responds Rosalie. I giggle and sit down.

"What are you guys getting? I think the lemon ricotta pancakes sound awesome." I gush. I love eating here; it's one of those special little places you find that you just can't get over. We started coming here about three months ago and made it our Sunday morning tradition.

"I think I'm going to get the summer fruit salad and another mimosa. You should get one; hair of the dog and all that jazz." Alice says. We place our orders and I take a sip of my water while we wait. We talk about mundane things like what we've done all week and what we have going on in the next little while. After our food arrives, Alice and Rose both round on me.

"Okay girl, spill." Rose demands. "Alice told me you work up hungover and groggy. Oh, and she also said you looked amazing last night! I'm so pissed you didn't take a picture for me."

"Sorry. I'm sure I can snag a picture from off the internet; press was everywhere trying to get a picture of Edward. Um… what do you want to know?"

"What did you do last night? What did he wear? Where was it? Just give us every detail you can possibly think of."

"Well it was at that modern art museum downtown; you know the one with all the glass walls? Wait… before I continue I need you guys to promise to hold all questions till I'm done. I don't want this story to span decades because you keep interrupting me. Promise?"

Both of them nod their heads. I explain the night to them, from the second Edward picked me up to the minute I got home (well what I could remember). "I don't remember much after I heard those girls talking about me in the restroom; just being upset and leaving pretty quickly. I don't know what I said to Edward, or what he assumed happened, but he sent me a bouquet of flowers this morning to make up for it." I blush at this; now they'll never believe that I don't have feelings for him. They both squealed at this revelation.

"Oh he totally has feelings for you! Guys don't give girls flowers if it doesn't mean something. What are you going to say to him tomorrow? Or will you call him today to thank him? I am so excited for you!" Alice gushes.

"You should definitely thank him today. It would be rude to wait until tomorrow. Maybe see if he wants to go a late lunch with you. You could go to that little French bistro you found a couple weeks ago. I could help you figure out what to wear. In fact, I've got an outfit idea forming in my mind as we speak – "

"I don't think so" I cut her off. "I have the feeling that I wasn't too 'friendly' last night. I mean, whatever I did obviously gave him a bad impression. I think I just want things to go back to the way they were before all of this happened. With the exception of him being a total jerk to me."

"Oh come on! Give him a chance. What did I tell you last night about being open to new things?" Alice asks.

"It's true you know. If you don't prepare yourself now, you'll never find love" adds Rose. I'm surprised at this comment; she's hardly the lovey-dovey type. "I know, I know. It doesn't sound like me, but I decided that since I can't reverse time and get any younger, I'd better start trying to figure out what to do with my life. I don't want to spend my life alone."

By now, we've eaten our food and paid our bill. I stand up and stretch, feeling the warm breeze blow across the bit of skin that shows between my shirt and my pants. It's almost fall, and soon we won't have days like today to enjoy. "I think I'm going to head to the flea market, I want to try and find some more vintage books. Thanks for the meal girls... let's get together next week for a movie night okay?"

I hug Alice and Rose goodbye and decide I'll walk to the market. It's only about 5 blocks down from the restaurant, in a park. I stroll up to the first stall, looking through a basket of bracelets. They are made of reclaimed wood and are very pretty. I decide to forgo them for now and head off in search of the book tent. Along the way, I poke into various stalls and see what they have to offer. After a while, I head toward the book tent. I find it quickly and kneel down on the grass to look through the lowest book shelves. That's where all the best books are found. I find an impeccable first edition copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and start thumbing my way through it. It's pretty expensive but a lot less than I'd find at a book store, so I decide to buy this and come back later to look for some others; I collect vintage books and am always trying to find something new.

I become aware of someone standing behind me so I try to stand up. The person behind me is leaning over a little, trying to look at a book in the top shelf. As I stand up, I hit my head on their chin. "Oh excuse me! I didn't realize you were so close to me." I exclaim.

"Ooh. That hurt" he responds. I turn around quickly. Twice in one weekend I'm surprised to see Edward in the same place as I am. He just smiles at me, not an ounce of surprise on his face as he rubs his chin. "Well hello there."

"H- hi" I stutter, mentally slapping myself for sounding like such a dork. "What are you doing here?"

"I come here a lot. It's been a while since I came last and I thought I'd check it out again while the weather was still so nice."

"No, I mean what are you doing _here_? In this stall, right behind me. Are you following me or something?" I ask warily.

Scratching his head nervously, he says, "Oh. That. Well I saw you at the first booth and wanted to come and say hello but you looked lost in thought. I thought maybe I could bump into you, although I didn't think it would be literally. What are you looking for?"

"Oh. Well, I collect vintage books. I come here every Sunday looking for new ones to add to my collection. This is the only first edition I've ever found" I hold the book up to him. "Have you ever read it?" He takes the book from me, the tips of our fingers brushing. I quickly pull my hand away and shove it in the back pocket of my jeans. As he looks through the book he says, "Yeah. I think it was one of the first real books I read as a kid. It's been years though. It's amazing you found a first edition. This is probably worth a lot more money than they're asking for it" he smiles at me conspiratorially.

While Edward studies the book, I study him. He's wearing the most casual outfit I've seen him in: dark jeans, boots, a white button up, and a black vest. He looks really comfortable and relaxed. He hands the book back to me "It looks like a great find. Hey have you ever tried the caramels that they sell a few rows over?"

"No" I admit, "I typically spend most of my time in the book stalls. It's hard to get away from a passion."

"Would you join me? I was going to get a couple. They're really the best in the whole city; I miss them all winter long when the flea market closes down."

I nod my head, and pay for my book quickly. We start walking to the booth he mentioned. "Edward, I need to ask you something. It's really embarrassing."

"Go for it. I won't laugh."

"What exactly happened last night? After I left the restroom it all gets a little… fuzzy." I blush, thinking of the bouquet in my living room and start to speculate about what happened.

He glances down at me, "You really don't remember?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have the feeling that I embarrassed myself though. And probably you, given the size of the bouquet you sent, which was lovely by the way. Thank you."

"Well to be honest, I'm not sure exactly what happened. I came to find out after you went to the restroom. You were downing a flute of champagne really quickly. You got really upset at me and said you should leave. I took you home and you wouldn't tell me anything beyond that. What happened anyway? It seemed like something happened to you between the exhibit upstairs and when I found you. You were really mad at me for something but wouldn't tell me what. Any hints today?" he nudges me with his shoulder.

"I wouldn't even know where to start. I – I'm so embarrassed about the whole thing." I squint up into the cloudless sky, avoiding looking at him.

"Well fortunately for you, we're here. After you eat some delicious caramels, you can explain everything to me. Trust me; they're the most amazing treat you will ever taste." He orders a dozen, giving me half. "Okay, take a bite and then I want to hear what you have to say."

The caramel I select from the box is covered in milk chocolate, and sprinkled with gray sea salt. I bite into it, and the creamy caramel melts on my tongue. It's all I can do to prevent myself from moaning with delight. "These really are amazing."

Edward smiles at me, "I told you. Now spill."

Swallowing the mouthful of caramel I have, I tell him what I overheard in the restroom. "I know that I'm an emotional drunk so I shouldn't have believed them. But I have to ask, is there a bet?"

"Wha-? No! Of course not. That's just disgusting. I would never do something like that. If I have anyone to blame for that rumor, it's Lauren Mallory. She is holding a grudge against me. We dated – casually – for about 3 months. I told her I wasn't interested in anything more serious. It didn't go over well."

"I am really sorry about last night. Honestly I hadn't eaten anything since lunch and I shouldn't have been drinking so much champagne. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Am I forgiven?"

He smiles at me, and my heart skips a beat. Why am I acting this way? "Well… I suppose spending all day yesterday and this afternoon with me is punishment enough. I can't apologize enough for what happened. Some of the people in these circles – well they're like vultures. Preying on anyone they think doesn't belong. I invited you last night because I'm surprisingly comfortable around you, you're beautiful, funny, smart, and you don't take crap from me."

"Well thank you again for taking me even though I made a scene. I'm sure your parents are very impressed." I mutter.

"I have to admit, they thought I did something to you. They wouldn't put it past me…" he laughs but it sounds strained. "Price you pay to make it to the top."

I clear my throat, I can't believe I'm about to do this. "So - any big plans tonight?"

"Nothing really. I was just going to poke around here for a bit, then grab dinner. After that, I'm pretty open. Why? You have something in mind?"

"Well, we both have to eat, right? Maybe we could get something together. There's a little café over on Market Street that's really good. Or I could cook for you, although that might be more punishment than treat."

He rubs his chin, "I think you do owe me for almost breaking my jaw. I think I'll take you up on that offer. Is there anything else you wanna see around here?"

"No, this book put me over my flea market budget for the next couple of weeks. We can head out whenever you're ready."

"I've just got one more stop to make. Um, my car is over in the parking lot on the north side. If you want to start heading over there, I'll meet you by the lot entrance."

I nod and start walking toward the parking lot. I wait for him by the entrance and check emails on my phone. Soon I hear him walking up to me. "I got you something." Edward holds up a little bag. "You can open it when we get to dinner."

"You didn't have to do this. But, thank you." He just smiles and leads me to his car.

It's a sleek silver Volvo. He unlocks the car and I slide in the passenger seat. "Buckle your seatbelt" he says, winking at me.

As we drive to the restaurant, we discuss the weather, random news stories floating around, and a new television show. I clutch the brown paper bag in my hand and speculate what could be inside. Edward notices me glancing down at it, "If you can't wait, you can open it now." He smirks; it's as if he can read my mind.

I shake my head at him, "Contrary to what you obviously believe, I can be patient enough to wait until we get there to open this." He smiles over at me, and turns his attention back to the road. Traffic is a little backed up so it takes us about thirty minutes to get to the restaurant. After a while, we fall into a quiet spell. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies going crazy in my stomach. I don't know why I'm reacting this way; it's been ages since I met a man who made me feel this out of control of my senses. As I breathe deeply, I realize I can smell not only his car but him. It's this intense mixture of leather, clean laundry, and some sort of musky scent. Maybe cologne? I can't very well ask though so I just bask in the smell of it.

We pull up to Market Street and I point him in the direction of the nearest parking garage. He pulls in, and I go to get out of my door. He starts to walk towards me, and I trip over myself. He grabs me roughly by the shoulders and hauls me to my feet. He drops his vice grip and apologizes. "I didn't mean to hurt you; I just didn't want you to fall." I smile weakly at him, not because it hurt but because I can't stop myself from clutzing out around him. We both look away and I point towards where we need to go.

As we enter the café, I'm immediately assaulted by amazing smells. "Wow, I didn't realize how hungry I was." I exclaim.

We're seated quickly; it's early enough that the room isn't crowded. A waiter comes over and offers us a wine list; Edward picks out his favorite red wine. We look over the menu and decide what we're going to get. After placing our orders, Edward clasps his hands on the table in front of him and raises an eyebrow. "Well are you going to open your gift?" he asks.

I pull the brown bag from my purse and set it on the table. I hesitantly start to open it; "Isn't this a conflict of interest or something like that?" I quip. He just scowls at me, "It's just one friend giving something to another."

I pull the bag open and slide out what's inside. Out tumble the wooden bangles I was admiring earlier today. I don't even know what to say, so I just glance up at Edward through my eyelashes. He has the softest smile on his face. "You don't have to say thank you. Really this is just something I wanted to do for you since I saw you looking at them. Don't over analyze this, please." He knows me too well.

"Well my mom taught me well. Thank you for this. It was really nice of you. And thanks for this whole day." He places his hand over mine, "I just want you to know how glad I am that we can be friends since our start wasn't anything ideal."

It feels as if my whole body is on fire the second he touches me. I slide my hand out from under his and slip the bracelets on my arm. They are beautiful and I touch each one with my fingertip. When was the last time someone bought me something just because? I can't even remember.

We sit and sip our wine and look everywhere but each other, but strangely it's not uncomfortable. Our food soon arrives and we start to eat. I love what I've ordered, but Edward's food looks amazing too. I wish I could ask him for a bite without sounding totally strange. He notices me glancing at his food out of the corner of my eye. "Would you like to taste it? Or is that too weird for you?"

I quickly nod my head, "As long as it's not weird for you, it won't be weird for me." He pushes his plate over to me, and I scoop some of his pasta up. It's really good, and I make a mental note to get that next time. I do the same for him, "Here try this. I think you'll like it." He takes a bite of mine and closes his eyes in what I'm hoping is delight. He quietly moans and I realize I'm gaping at him. I quickly shovel some food into my mouth and turn away so he can't see my blush.

"That is amazing. I'm so glad you brought me to this place" he says once he's finished eating. I pick at the remainder of my food and then push my plate away. He continues, "I don't get to try many new restaurants because I'm always going to the same places with our clients."

"I love trying new places. It's like a hobby to me. I don't like to cook so I just go to as many new places as possible to give me some variety." I look at him shyly. "If you'd ever like to join me again, I know some other out of the way places you might like" I invite.

"I'd love to." Just then the waiter comes over with our check and before I can do anything, Edward slides his card onto the tray. The waiter whisks it away and I tell Edward, "I was going to pay for mine; you didn't have to do that!"

He laughs, "My mom also taught me well and I don't let a woman pay on a date. Er… or whatever this was." Now he's blushing and it's a sweet look for him. He looks younger and less worldly than I've ever seen him. He signs the receipt the waiter brought over. I reach down and pick my purse up off the ground and when I look up, he's towering over me, his hand reached out. I place my hand in his without even thinking twice and he helps me out of my chair. As we leave our table, I notice he doesn't take his hand from around mine. It's large, warm, and a little rough, surprisingly.

We walk slowly to the garage, and he laughs as I tell him a little bit about my college experiences. I tell him about the sorority I pledged and all the crazy things they made us do. As we get closer to his car, I tell him that he doesn't need to drive me home; a cab will be fine. "Nope. I won't hear of it. I will take you home to ensure you get there safely. Nothing less will suffice for me" he responds. He comes around to my side of the car and opens the door for me. In this narrow space, I realize how close he is standing to me. I quickly duck inside the car and shake my head to clear it. _Get a grip lady. He is your boss. You cannot be entertaining these kinds of thoughts when you have to be picking up his coffee tomorrow morning. _

He gets in and we pull out. He drives me to my house, and I just stare out the window, trying not to say anything embarrassing. He stops at my front curb and before I can get out, he places his hand on my arm. "Did I do something to upset you?" he asks.

"No, why do you think that?"

"You seem upset. Or at the very least, deep in thought. I'm just wondering what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." He leans in close to me. "You can let me in you know. Just because we work together doesn't mean we can't be close outside of work."

I notice he leaves out the part where I actually work _for_ him, not _with_ him. I shake my head. "I just don't want to jeopardize our working relationship, or give people the wrong idea about us. This was a fun night but I really need to keep my work and personal life separate. It's easier this way. I am sorry if this sounds rude at all, that's not my intent."

Edward just nods slowly at me. "I completely understand. This will not come in the way of us professionally." He looks intently at me and his eyes seem to darken just a little bit. "Bella, I really enjoyed the last couple of days I got to spend with you. You're truly an amazing young woman, and I think we can put the past behind us and work toward a beautiful future together… professionally speaking of course."

I smile at him and get out of the car. He waits until I'm in my house, and I peek out the window at him. He stays outside for a full five minutes before finally driving away. I sag against the door asking myself what I've started. This is not how this is meant to go at all. I cannot fall in love with my boss. That is wrong in too many ways.

I climb the stairs and resolve myself to forgetting about this weekend and just moving on. But as I look down at the beautiful bracelets Edward bought me, I can't help but smile.


	5. Chapter 5

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all. I'm simply borrowing these characters to fulfill my own little fantasy world.****_

The next morning I wake up earlier than normal, determined to get ready and look my absolute best for work. I go to my closet and look at what I have to wear. I decide on a cream skirt, a teal silk blouse, and some gray floral tights. I grab a leather belt with a flower on it, some ankle boots to match, and my coral clutch (pic in profile). I lay my clothes on the bed and go to the bathroom to shower.

After I get out of the shower, I wrap a robe around myself and put my make up on while letting my hair dry. I decide to leave it down and looking natural. I put on a little bit of make up and then fix my hair. I leave the bathroom and get dressed. I need some jewelry so I look through my jewelry box. I find a cool gold ring that looks like a tree trunk, some rose diamond stud earrings, and a cuff bracelet. I put all this on and grab my phone and purse and head downstairs to get some breakfast before I have to leave. I'm going to be a little early and get my desk organized and I will look like a model employee. I toast a bagel, and while I eat it I check my email. My dad emailed me asking how my weekend was, I'll respond to him later. A bunch of junk mail. Nothing exciting. Oh, an email from Alice. I open it up.

_Hey girl! I was browsing the celebrity gossip sites (you know me and my daily gossip fix) and I saw something that might interest you. Check this link out. xoxo - A_

I click on the link and it pulls up a sleazy website. How can Alice waste her time this way? The first thing I notice is a small grainy picture of two people eating something at what looks like the flea market. I squint and look closer and realize it looks like me and Edward. I scroll down and see a picture with much better resolution and it's definitely us: Edward whispering something in my ear on the red carpe at the benefit, a silly grin on my face as he does. The next picture is of him chasing me out of the museum. The last picture is of us eating caramels at the flea market.

The article reads, "_Does our city's most eligible bachelor, Edward Cullen, have a new special someone to keep him warm during the cool weather ahead? Saturday night, at the annual charity event held by his parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, he was seen with a mysterious girl. No one could tell us who she was so we had to do a little more digging. Turns out it's his assistant, one Isabella Swan. After what looks like a heated lovers quarrel, they left the event together. But never fear, they were spotted again at the South Street flea market, browsing through stalls together and eating some treats. Will we see more of his lovely lady friend as the days pass? Let's cross our fingers."_

Okay, this just got bad. I cannot let anyone else see these pictures. I quickly close my computer, as if doing so will prevent anyone one else from laying eyes on this crappy website. I take a deep breath. I can stay calm about this.

I grab my purse and head out the door. I call Sam as I do to let him know he doesn't have to pick me up this morning. I'm going to take a cab since I'm leaving a little earlier than normal. I hail a cab and give him the address. He drops me off at the corner Starbucks and I head inside for some coffee.

While waiting, my phone pings that I have a text message. I check it and its Alice wanting to know how I'm doing since the news. I ignore her for the time being; I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this yet. I decide to just pretend that it didn't exist, and see how Edward reacts. If there is no reaction, then I'll just go on with my life and all will be well in the world. If he brings it up to me… well I don't even want to figure out what my reaction will be. My order is finished, so I grab the coffees and head out the door. My stomach is in knots this morning. I suspect it has more to do with Edward than just the ridiculous tabloid article. How will he be after our strange weekend together? Will work be strained or will it be business as usual? I don't want him to become the cold boss I've worked for all these months, but at the same time I think it'll be easier to compartmentalize the two experiences if he remains the way he was before.

I don't have much time to ponder the outcome of the weekend; Edward is here early and seems more than a little stressed out. I run into him in the lobby, and he brusquely asks me if one of the cups in my hand is his. I silently hand him his coffee, and we step into the elevator together. The ride to our floor is more awkward than usual; on my part because I can't stop thinking of how good he looks today. It's as if I never noticed how handsome he is. My heart is practically pounding through my ribs in anxiety. I don't say anything, but keep stealing glances up at him through the corner of my eye. He seems incredibly focused on the newspaper article he's reading so it's easy to watch him without being caught. Right as we get to our floor he breaks the silence, "I had a really great time this weekend. Thanks for giving me another shot." With that, he smiles a crooked smile, winks, and exits the elevator before I can respond.

Wow. Speechless, I force myself to put one foot in front of the other until I reach my desk. Once I sit down, I focus on what I need to do today. I start organizing my desk and checking my emails. I note that today will be a busy day as I scroll through my tasks. I need to do some organizing of Edward's current case files, which usually takes me quite a while. As organized as he is, he doesn't leave his files that way. I see an email from Edward, time stamped from this morning.

_Lunch today, on me. Meet me at Kenji's place at 1 pm. Looking forward to it. _

_Edward_

I glance towards his office; Edward is watching me intently. I blush and quickly look away. I email him back that I'll be there, and again get to work. Time goes pretty quickly since I have so much to do. Before I know it, it's ten to one and I stand up and stretch my back. Grabbing my purse, I head for the elevator. As I get there, I run into Jasper.

"Oh, hi Bella! How's it going?" he asks.

"I'm good, but ready for a break. It's been a busy morning. What about you?"

"Never better. Just got a great break in my case. I'm going out to celebrate tonight with Alice, why don't you come along?"

"Oh… I've got… things I need to do." I stammer.

"Don't worry, I already asked Alice," Jasper laughs. "She wants you to come and was going to invite you herself, but said you hadn't been answering her calls."

"Well let me know the details, and I'll try to make it." I answer, trying to avoid the reason for not answering Alice's calls. The less people who know about the pictures, the better.

Once outside, I head for the restaurant. I try not to walk too quickly. It'll look better if I'm a little bit late, than if I get there on time and look like I was too eager. I see the familiar red door, and head inside. Edward is already there, seated at the bar. He's laughing at something Kenji said, and just then, he spots me. He stands up as I walk over.

"What's the occasion?" I ask. He smirks and pulls out a chair for me.

"Do I have to have an occasion to want to take you out to lunch? I think you deserve it after the way I've acted the last few months."

I blush and quickly look down at the menu. After I place my order, Edward pours me a cup of sake. I look at him confused, "It's not happy hour, and you know I don't hold liquor well." He laughs, "Yes I know, trust me. But I wanted to toast this opportunity you've given me to get to know you. You've given me a second chance and I appreciate it. I'm not the bad guy I've made myself out to be." We down our cups and I grimace at the taste. He laughs again at my reaction.

"So are you going to get drinks tonight with Jasper and Alice? Apparently Emmett and your friend Rosalie are also coming. If you came, I wouldn't have to be there alone." He smiles his crooked smile at me again; if I didn't know better, I'd think he knew it was a weakness of mine.

"Well, we wouldn't want that now would we?" I smile and shake my head at him. "Yeah I guess I'll go since you've presented me with such a flawless argument. But if we're going, do you think I can head out a little bit early today? I'd like to get changed before we go out." This flirting has emboldened me.

"Of course. Honestly, you've done everything I've needed you to do today; I'm surprised if you have any work left."

"I still have a bit to do, but I can get it done today for sure. Thanks for letting me out early."

Our food comes then, and we eat in comfortable silence. Just as I'm about to finish my food, Edward shocks me. "You know, I did warn you about the paparazzi. If you're worried I saw those photos, you don't need to be. I already called the editor of that website, and told him he needed to take them down or else he'd be in serious trouble. I don't mind my pictures being on those sites, there's not much I can do about it, but I didn't want you to be uncomfortable." I gape at him, and he nudges my mouth closed, "Are you trying to catch flies?" Smiling he lowers his hand from my chin and turns back to his food.

I clear my throat, "Thank you. You didn't have to do that, I do appreciate it. I was worried what you might think if you saw them. Alice is the one who told me about them actually; she's always on those sites looking for the latest celebrity gossip."

"Well I'm glad that we could sort it all out. I didn't want you to think that I wouldn't look out for you, because I will." Edward looks down at his empty plate. I think I hear him murmur something that sounds like "If you'd just me" but I can't be sure. "Well at any rate, we'll be together tonight, and hopefully nowhere that the paparazzi can find us."

"Looking forward to it" I reply.

When Kenji brings the check I quickly place some money on it, and hand it back before Edward can reach it. Kenji just laughs and takes it away, and I smirk at Edward. "It's my turn to treat you." He glowers at me, "Not that I'm not for woman's rights or anything, but my mother taught me that a gentleman should treat a lady, not the other way around." Giggling, I gather up my things and tell Kenji to keep the change.

As we leave, Edward places his hand on my lower back and leads me through the door. I squint into the bright day. His hand lingers on my back as we walk towards our building. I ask him some questions about the detail of his current case, he asks me about my family, and we continue on in this way until we reach his office. "Thank you for lunch" he grins. "It's been a long time since I've had a woman treat me to something nice."

I simply smile and say, "Everyone wants to be treated from time to time."

"Since I have this meeting to get to, I guess I'll just see you tonight. I doubt I'll be done by the time you leave. You can go whenever you need." With that, he picks up a few files, and goes down the hall and out of site towards the conference room. I shake my head, and quickly start back up on my work. I want to get out of here, so I can get ready and look my best for tonight.

While I'm organizing, I call Alice on my cell phone to let her know I'll be coming tonight. When she answers, I just hear her shouting to me about how mad she is for me avoiding her all morning. As soon as I hear her take a breath, I quickly apologize. "I'm so sorry Alice; I didn't even know how to react to what you showed me! Trust me, I was avoiding you out of my need for sanity." She sighs, "I guess you have a good reason for it. But you could have at least texted me to let me know what was going on. Anyway, I know why you're calling and I'm glad you're going. And here is what you should wear…" She starts spouting off an outfit to me. I swear, she knows my wardrobe better than I do.

"I'm so glad Edward is going tonight. You know, I have a feeling about the two of you" she continues. "He's just what you need: hot, rich, super powerful, and from what Jasper tells me, one of the nicest people you'll ever meet." I decide against telling her about how he's been acting towards me the last few days; I don't need her to start planning our wedding or something like that. I listen to her telling me about how much she likes Jasper, and how she hopes things work out with Emmett and Rose. After a few minutes, I interrupt her and tell her I've got to go. "Don't forget to wear exactly what I told you to wear tonight. Trust me, you'll look awesome." I hang up with her, and look through my emails. There isn't much more I can do today, so I decide to head home.

I call down to car service, and let Sam know that I need him to drive me home. He's waiting outside the front doors when I step out into the bright sunshine. He opens the door for me and I climb inside. "How was your weekend miss?" he asks. "It was… an adventure. How was yours?" He tells me about his weekend, and how he had a great time with his wife, just spending time together. I hope one day I'll be that way with someone I care about as much as he does about his wife. He drops me off at my house, and lets me know he'll be there the next day to pick me up. "No more hailing cabs for you, at least not while I'm around." I agree, and tell him to have a nice night.

I grab my mail on the way in the house, and look through it as I head upstairs. Drinks are at six and its four now so I've got plenty of time to get ready. I decide to take a quick nap before I get ready. I undress, and in my underwear I climb into bed. Right as I'm drifting off, I get a text message.

_Can I pick you up tonight? - Edward_

_It's totally out of your way – don't even think about it. – Bella_

_It's really not. I don't want you wasting your money on a cab. – Edward_

_Oooookay. If you really don't mind… - Bella_

_Ok, I will be there at around 5:45. – Edward_

_Looking forward to it. – Bella_

_- Edward_

I laugh out loud. Edward just texted me a smiley face. How funny. I lay back and close my eyes, trying to fall asleep. Too many thought are rushing through my head. I think about how he smells, the way his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles, the way his tiny dimple comes out when he gives me that crooked smile. Before I even know it, an hour has passed. I groggily look at the clock; I must have dozed off. Luckily I woke up in time to get ready. I brush my teeth, and go through my clothes to find the outfit Alice demanded I wear. I put on some dark blue jeans, a black and gold sequin striped shirt, and my purple round toe pumps. (pic in profile) With that, I put in some black onyx earrings, and a matching ring. Last, I grab a black leather envelope clutch, and throw my wallet, cell phone, some gum, and lip gloss inside. After I'm dressed, I put on a little bit more makeup, just some more eye shadow and mascara. I tousle my hair just a little bit; it looks like I just rolled out of bed, in a good way.

My doorbell rings, and I go downstairs. Edward is standing on my step, with his finger poised above my doorbell. "Wow, you look great!" he exclaims. "Really great."

"Thank you," I laugh. "You always look great." He really does. He's wearing what he wore to work, minus his suit jacket. His tie is loosened, and the top few buttons of his shirt unbuttoned. He runs his hand through his hair, "Thank you. I feel a little overdressed, but I didn't have time to get home and change." I reply, "Don't worry about it, you look great."

He leads me down to his car, and we get inside. As we drive off, he rests his hand on the middle console, and I watch him tap his long fingers along with the music. It's some sort of classical piece, and I ask him if he listens to much classical. "Oh, all the time. I've got season tickets to the orchestra. In fact, if you'd like to go sometime, it'd be nice to have someone to go with."

"I'd love to. I've never been to a live performance, so it'd be my first time. I might need a little guidance on what is proper procedure." I smirk. "I like music though. I've been to a lot of different concerts. We should go to one sometime… in fact I think that Phoenix is coming to do an outdoor show later this month. Have you heard of them? We should go together"

He nods at me, "I have. I don't know them too well, but I love to see live shows. I will absolutely go with you if you would like."

The conversation lags a little bit after that, and just as we pull up to the restaurant he speaks up, "So the next symphony performance is coming up next weekend. Am I expecting too much in assuming you'll go with me to see it?"

"No, I'd love to. I will plan on it."

"Great; it's Friday night. I was thinking we could go to dinner before, and for drinks after. How's that sound?"

"I'm game. When it gets closer we can work out the details." I reply.

We pull up to the bar, and Edward hands the valet the keys to park his car. As we walk into the bar together, I instantly see Alice and Jasper by the bar; Alice talking animatedly to Jasper about something, and she spots me over his shoulder. She shrieks and runs over to me. "I'm so glad you're here! And you, Edward! Thanks for coming! I love when all of us get together." I laugh because we've only ever been all together once, when we met up last Friday. She grabs my arm and tells the guys that we have to use the restroom. I shrug my shoulder, and ask Edward to hold my bag.

She drags me into the restroom with her. "Spill lady. What is going on with you and Edward?" I motion with my hand that I've locked my lips shut. She scowls at me, "You know that makes me think more is going on than probably is. Why don't you just tell me?"

"Because there is nothing to tell. I work for Edward, and whatever you might be under the impression is happening, is not. It would be a bad idea to get involved with Edward, romantically, outside of work. We're simply two people who have started spending time together. Stop reading into this Alice, I'm serious." She puts her hands up in defeat.

"Fine. I won't try and make anything more of this than you say it is. But just promise me one thing. If – and I mean if – something does happen between the two of you, promise that you'll let me know right away?"

I hold up two fingers in a salute. "Scout's honor. Now can we get to celebrating? Wait – where are Rosalie and Emmett?"

"I'm not sure. I saw them drive up in Rose's car, but they never came in. I can imagine though. You know how she gets sometimes. I bet they're in her car doing unmentionable things to each other." Alice giggles, "If I had the guts she did, Jasper and I would be married by now." I just roll my eyes; Alice is probably right about Rosalie and Emmett. "We should get back out there before they think we ran away."

Once back in the main part of the bar, we see that Rosalie and Emmett had joined Edward and Jasper. She waives over to us, and its clear she'd been up to something naughty prior to joining us. Her hair isn't in its usual perfect style; her shirt is un-tucked on one side. I wink at her and she giggles. Emmett grabs me and Alice up into a huge bear hug, laughing when we both groan into his massive chest, "You girls are so adorable, like little dolls."

Did Edward just growl? I must be losing my mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jasper put his hand on Edwards shoulder and mutter something under his breath. Edward visibly relaxes and after I'm released from Emmett's giant arms, he slips his hand into mine and pulls me towards him. Alice's eyes widen almost imperceptibly and I just give her a look, telling her to be quiet. We all sit down at a low table next to the bar, coupled up. Rosalie sits on Emmett's lap, and whispers into his ear, making him laugh. Alice slides her hand up and down the back of Jasper's neck while she tells me about a new client she got at work today.

It's hard to focus, as Edward has pulled my hand behind his back, and is now rubbing small circles onto my palm with his thumb. He turns towards me and a smile slowly creeps onto his face. "Are you cold?" he asks, noticing the goosebumps that have broken out across my skin. I nod my head dumbly, because I can't think of another excuse. He pulls me back towards him, and puts his arm around me. Now I'm even more muddled because he's rubbing his hand up and down my arm slowly. Alice has stopped talking and is now engaged in a quiet conversation with Jasper, who keeps glancing over at us. I try to ignore his looks and ask Edward to tell me about Japan.

"You can't imagine this place. Tokyo is the most amazing city. It's this thriving metropolis that has the perfect blend of modern and ancient. You'll be walking along, past a bunch of sky scrapers, and all of the sudden you're in an ancient garden, or in front of a Buddhist shrine that's been there for hundreds of years. And the food! It's so good, nothing like what you'd get here, with the exception of a lot of dishes Kenji makes at his place. Have you ever been to another country before?"

I shake my head, "No but I've always wanted to travel. I think it'd be so amazing to get out and see the world."

"Maybe one day, I can show you around Tokyo." Edward looks intently into my eyes. I laugh lightly, trying to make myself believe that he's not serious. "Yeah, you'll have to do that."

We stick around a couple more hours, and then decide to call it a night. Alice and Rosalie both hug me, and Emmett hugs all three of us at once. We all laugh at his antics, and start heading off. Edward pulls me to his side, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I had a really great night tonight. It's been awesome getting to know you and your friends. Obviously Jasper and Emmett have enjoyed it as well. Thank you for the night."

I smile up at him, and realize how close his face is; he's leaning down towards me. I pull back a little to give myself some space, "Yeah, it's really fun. Alice is convinced Jasper is her soul-mate. I'm sure Rose thinks the same thing of Emmett but she's not the sentimental type, so she'd never admit it."

"And what do you think of me?" he asks, winking. I notice we've come to a stop on the sidewalk, Edward clutching the valet ticket in his hand.

"I think… I…I think you're a great boss, and I've really learned a lot from you these past few months. And you've been fun to hang out with these past few days." I finally say, taking a couple steps back form him. I see a flicker of some emotion in his eyes, but I'm not sure what. Disappointment? Anger? Hesitation? I'm not sure.

"Well… speaking of work, I found out at our meeting that I'll be going out of town for the next couple of days. I have nothing for you to do tomorrow, so you're welcome to take the day off. I'll be back Wednesday, in the early afternoon. If you could just make sure my schedule is ready for me when I get back, I'd appreciate it" Edward says. "Now let's get you home young lady."

He hands the valet his ticket, and I take a second to sort my thoughts out while I'm waiting. What exactly is Edward playing at? I thought I made it clear to him that I can't mix my personal and work life. He drives me home, and I watch the street lights pass as we drive. Stopping in front of my house, I go to leave and he grabs my hand. Slowly drawing it up to his lips, he turns it over and presses a soft kiss to my palm. I'm holding my breath. "I hope you know I had a great time with you, this whole last weekend. Thank you for spending time with me." I smile at him, weakly, and pull my hand from his. "Thanks for the ride" I quickly say and climb out of his car. I walk up my steps and inside my house, but as I close the door I realize he has stepped out of his car and is watching me from over the roof of his car. He smiles at me, and salutes, then gets in his car and drives away.

Shakily I lean against my door. I have got to stop this before it goes any further. If anyone at the firm found out I was seeing Edward outside of work, even if there was nothing romantic going on, I'd be in serious trouble and I couldn't afford to lose this job. I decided I would spend my day off figuring it out, and when he got back on Wednesday, I'd end this. With new resolve in my mind, I get ready for bed and go to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

_Edward slides his hand up my shoulder, cupping the back of my neck. I take a step back but I can't go far; there is a rough brick wall behind me. Before I can react, his lips crash down on mine and his other hand grasps the back of my shirt, pulling me toward him. I gasp through the kiss, and he smiles against my lips. I decide to give into these feelings, and close my eyes. Slowly he kisses me again, this time his lips moving down my neck, gently scraping his teeth along my collar bone. His hands inch to the hem of my shirt, and he slowly pulls it up, up, up…_

I gasp awake. The bright sunlight is streaming through my window, and I squint as I realize I never shut my curtains last night. I sit up and rub my head; I have a terrible headache this morning. I glance at my clock, its 11:00 am. I must have been really tired last night; no wonder I have a headache. I get up out of bed, and head to my bathroom to get ready. I look awful, my eyes are all bloodshot, and my hair is frizzy and messy. I grimace at myself. I know what I have to do, I just have to figure out a way to do it without ruining the delicate relationship Edward and I have built. I need him to realize that I can't compromise everything I've worked for, for something which probably won't last. I decide I need to talk to someone who will be objective, and tell me straight up what to do. I'm going to visit Rosalie at her office today.

I decide to take my time getting ready, I have all day. I run a bath, and grab my iPod from my room and stick it in the dock. I pull my hair into a low bun, and take off my pajamas. I climb into the hot water, and lay back against the back of the tub. As I listen to the soothing music, and relax my body, I start to remember the dream I had. I know that I'm blushing. "Oh course you're blushing. You're attracted to a man you shouldn't be, who is someone you probably will never have. Get a grip." I say out loud. I dunk my head under the water, and quickly wash up.

I get dressed in some wide leg jeans, flats, and a purple shirt. (pic in profile) I grab my purse and phone, and call Rosalie. "Hey lady, can I come by today? I'll bring Chinese!"

She laughs, "Of course you can! You don't need to ask. You know I'll clear my schedule for you. When were you planning on coming?"

"I was thinking maybe an hour. I could go grab the food, and then head right over."

"Okay, I'll see you in an hour then. I'll let Jane know you're coming, so you can come into my office when you get here" she responds. "I'm really glad we're hanging out, I feel like it hasn't been just the two of us in a long time."

"Me too. I'll see you soon." I hang up the phone. I run downstairs and hail a cab. "Take me to Chinatown please."

An hour later, I pull up in front of Rose's office, and head inside with a ton of food to tide us over. I smile at Jane, Rosalie's receptionist. "Want anything to eat?" I ask. She smiles and shakes her head, "No thank you. Rose is waiting inside for you though; you can just go on in."

I open the door to her office, and Rose is sitting at her desk arguing with someone on the phone. She smiles and fakes that she's going to shoot someone while continuing her intense conversation. I lay the food out on the coffee table next to the couch she has in her office and start eating. She tells the person on the other end that "This isn't over. Just be expecting a call from our attorney." After she hangs up the phone, she laughs, "I love my job. Seriously, it's the best." I stand up and give her a big hug.

After we've been eating for a few minutes, I put down my chopsticks, "Rose, I admit I have an ulterior motive for lunch today. I need your help, or advice on something."

"I thought as much. It was too spur of the moment to be a completely innocent visit."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I really did want to see you!" I exclaim. "Anyway, promise me that what I tell you doesn't leave this room." She crosses her heart, giggling. I tell her about what's happened with Edward, how he makes me feel, and the dilemma I'm in. She listens patiently, and doesn't react the way Alice would have, which makes this story much easier to tell. "I don't know what to do. I mean, it's only been a few days that he's been so… different towards me than he used to. I don't want him to get the wrong impression from me. If there was a chance I think things could work out, and if I didn't work for him, I'd give it a shot. But how much of a future can there be between us if I'm working as his personal assistant? And this isn't my choice of career; I want a different life for myself. I don't want to make our working relationship more strained than it is, but I don't know how much clearer I can be. Ugh. Life is so confusing!"

"I don't know that I'm the best to give you advice on the subject" Rose chuckles. "I mean, Emmett has one of the clients I want most in the world. In everyone's eyes, we should be rivals, not dating. But I can't help myself around him. He makes me happy. Granted, we've only known each other a few days, but I want to try and make this work with him. If you're really unhappy with things, just don't go to lunch with him, try to be around him outside of the office as little as possible, and if you can't handle it, just quit."

My eyes widen, "I can't quit! I need this job. I need to get out of debt, or at least find a new job first. Besides, I've been here for less than a year. This is horrible advice." Rosalie shrugs at me, "Well I don't know what else to tell you. I think you could make things work if you really want to. It's just a matter of deciding what you want."

"But I know what I want!" I exclaim, than slap a hand over my mouth. She laughs. "Look Bella, if you like him you like him. You can't let that get in the way of you doing your job. Just do your best, and don't let anything happen in the office. You have plenty of time to figure this all out. Don't stress out so much. Just let things happen, and everything will turn out the way that it should."

I sink back into the couch, and moan. "Well I guess you're right. You know I over-analyze everything. But this dream I had last night just made me so confused."

"Dream? What dream?" Rose asks. I groan, "Just a dream." She nudges me with her elbow, "A naughty dream?" I slap her arm away, "I'm not going to tell you what this dream was about so don't even ask. Anyway, I've taken up enough of your time today; I'll let you get back to work. I love you lady. Let's do something this weekend okay?"

She hugs me and straightens her skirt. "Back to the battlefield for me. Have a good rest of the day. Love you too."

The rest of my day is spent cleaning up my house, and running errands. I've got a bunch of dry cleaning I've got to pick up for myself and Edward. After I've done everything else for the day, I pick up the clothes from the cleaners, and after placing mine in my closet, I put Edwards on the hook by my door. I look at them for a moment, wishing they still smelled like him, and then quickly turn around and head into my kitchen. After picking up all my mail I've let scatter around my kitchen I decide to make some dinner. I put on a pot of pasta to boil, and start putting together some pasta sauce. Once it's ready, I eat it in the living room while watching some TV. It's just some mindless sit-com, and my mind starts to wander after the first 10 minutes fail to capture my attention.

I put my empty plate down on my coffee table, and stretch out on the couch. It's still early, and I can't help but wonder what Edward is up to tonight. He's up in Seattle, meeting with a client. Just then, my phone pings. I check my phone, and I have a text message from Edward.

_I hope your day off was relaxing. Look forward to seeing you again soon. – Edward_

I throw my phone onto the couch, and clean up the mess I made. "Leave me alone!" I shout at my phone. "It's just going to make things that much harder if you're being all charming!" I stomp around my house, picking things up, and slamming them back down. It makes me feel a little bit better. My phone starts ringing. "What!" I answer.

Light giggling on the other end ensues. "Geez, sorry. I can call you back later."

"Sorry Alice. I thought you were someone else."

"Who? Were you arguing with someone? A lover's quarrel perhaps?" she snickers.

"No. Who would I be fighting with? You have to have a lover to have a lover's quarrel. Anyway, what's up?"

"Oh! I was calling to see if you wanted to go out this weekend again. I thought we could go dancing –" I interrupt her with a groan. "I know you hate dancing but I think it'd be really fun. Just me, you, and Rose. It's been a really long time since we've gone dancing!"

"I know… you know I can't resist you so I'll be there, but don't expect me to enjoy it."

My phone beeps that I have a call waiting, "Hold on a second Alice, another call is coming in." I jump over to the other call, "Hello?"

"Hello Bella." Edward says.

"Oh… Edward. Hi. Hey can you hold on a second? I'm just finishing up with Alice."

"I'll be quick. I just needed to let you know that my trip is going to take longer than I thought so I won't be back until Saturday evening. If you could answer my emails, and reschedule my meetings this week, I'd appreciate it. Oh, and I was wondering if you'd like to get together for an early dinner on Sunday. I really enjoyed myself last time."

"Oh I don't know… that is, I think I might have some plans already. I'll look into it and let you know."

"Thanks Bella. I'd better get going. I'll talk to you soon."

He hangs up with me before I have the chance to respond. I click over to Alice. "Who was it?" she asks. "It was Edward. He was just telling me his trip will be longer than he thought. He asked me to dinner on Sunday."

"That's great! You are going right? I hope you do." Alice exclaims.

"I don't know. It's gotten… complicated." I explain to her what's been going through my head since I started hanging out with Edward. She listens patiently and then I hear her sigh quietly on the other end of the line.

"I'm not going to say that I'm surprised because I'm not. You know, you've always been one to get in your own way. Remember when that cute guy Tyler asked you out? You over analyzed it to death, and ended up scaring the poor guy away. And that guy you dated in high school. He said he wanted to move to LA with you to go to school, and you freaked out and he ended up breaking up with you. You're a commitment-phobe."

"This is totally different. I work for Edward! I can't just compromise the months of hard work I've put into this job to pursue something I have no guarantee will even work out. And let's say it doesn't work out. Then what? One of us will have to leave the firm, and I guarantee it's not going to be the guy whose dad OWNS the company." I am fuming. "Don't push me into this. Just let me figure things out on my own."

She sighs again and after a few moments of silence, I hear her quietly mumble, "Sorry."

"Look Alice, I gotta get going. I have things I need to do. I'll call you later this week to figure out our plans for Friday." I don't wait for a response and click 'end'.

I go upstairs, turning off lights as I go. Once upstairs, I plug my phone into the charger, and log into my email account. I respond to my dad's most recent email, letting him know I haven't been mugged, robbed, or otherwise harmed in anyway, and that I love him. Then I write Alice a quick apology email; she'll forgive me for freaking out by morning. Even though it's early, I feel like I've run a marathon; I'm completely exhausted. I decide to call it a night, and throw myself into work for the rest of the week.

The week flies by, and before I realize, it's Friday night. Alice, Rosalie and I are going out tonight, so I head out of work a little early to go home and get ready. Alice and Rosalie want to get ready at my house, so I grab things for drinks on the way home so we can start the party early. I pull up and see them waiting on my front step. I laugh at their irritation, "It's not like we're not going to be able to get in. Trust me, we'll be fine." I unlock my front door, and I don't even have time to set everything down before Alice is dragging me up to my bedroom.

Alice pushes me down on the bench in the bathroom with strict instructions on how I'm to do my hair (loose curls, down, finger combed so they don't look too "done"). She and Rosalie take up residence on either side of my, and start getting ready. After a while, I start complaining about my arm hurting from being held up so much with the curling iron. Alice takes it from me, and starts to do my hair, humming along with the song Rose put on my iPod.

After we get our make up on (for me smokey eyes, and a light coral lipgloss), we head into my bedroom to get dressed. Rose has laid out our outfits on my bed. I put on a mini dress with a graphic black and coral floral pattern on it, some black leather booties, and some fun jewelry. Rose and Alice are knockouts. Alice is wearing a killer aqua sequin dress with only one shoulder, while Rose is in a coral and purple strapless bandage dress which hugs and shows off all her curves. We gather up our cell phones, lipgloss, and various packages of mints or gum, and head downstairs. When we get down, we do our customary shots. I grimace, I don't like it. Both girls just giggle. We hail a cab and sing along to the radio. The cabbie must be used to girls acting like we are; he just smiles and shakes his head. Once we get to the club, Rose just walks us to the front of the long line waiting to get inside. We hear people complaining and shouting at us, and she just turns around and smiles a cold smile at them. "Rosalie and guests; my name is on the list" she announces to the bouncer. He gives us all a once over, and checks the list. "Come on through ladies. Enjoy your night" he says, winking at us as we walk inside.

Inside the music is pulsating and it feels stifling. There are bodies crowded throughout the dance floor, and I'm quickly pushed up against the wall by a group of slutty girls trying to barge their way into the club. I just shake my head at Alice and shout, "Let's go get some drinks!"

Alice grabs mine and Rose's hands, and we head toward the bar. The bartender smiles at Rose. "Long time no see! What'll it be? It's on the house" he says to her. He's really good looking, with blond hair, and scruff on his strong jaw. We give him our drink orders, and he grabs my hand from across the bar. "I'm James" he shouts above the music. "Bella! Nice to meet you" I shake his hand. He quickly makes our drinks, and hands them over. "If you ladies want, I can get you into a VIP room." Alice nods excitedly, and he waves over one of the security guys. "Get these ladies into room number 4. They're special guests of mine." As we're lead away, I mouth thank you, and James grins and winks.

"Girls, this is the life." Alice quips as she sits on the edge of the plush sofa. The room we're in is all glass, with leather and suede couches and seats spread throughout. We can hear the music, but it's not nearly as loud in here. A bouncer mans the door from outside, keeping people out. "Truly, this is the life I should have been born to" she continues. Rose and I roll our eyes at each other. "I'm serious! I mean, I want to come to clubs and be put in a VIP room any night I want, whether Rose is with me or not!"

Alice says she wants to dance, and I shake my head at her. She grabs Rosalie's hand and they head downstairs. I sip my drink and watch the crowd through the glass wall.  
Eventually James appears in the doorway to the room. "Why'd a pretty girl like you get left all alone?" he asks. I just smile and shrug. "Well it's a travesty I tell you. Would you like some company?" he continues.

"Sure. Although it's best if you don't attempt to get me to dance or anything like that. I tend to be a pretty big clutz." I tell him. He laughs at me and comes to sit on the couch. He sits a little closer than I'd like, but I try not to let it bother me. He slides his arm around my shoulder and whispers into my ear, "I can think of other things I'd like to do with you besides dance."

"Oh, um… I better go find the girls." I say, and try to casually slide his arm off my shoulder. He grabs my wrist. "Maybe we should go somewhere where we can be alone."

"Look, James, you're really nice I'm sure but I don't know you and I'm really not that type of girl." I say, trying to tug my arm out of his grip. He glares down towards where his hand is gripping my arm. "I don't think you understand me. I helped you out tonight; you _owe_ me." With that he stands up, and starts pulling me towards the door. I barely have time to grab my clutch before we're out the door, and heading down a dark hallway. I look around frantically, trying to get someone's attention, but everyone around me is too drunk or busy to look my way. I consider screaming, but know it would be pointless in this noise. I'm not sure what's down there, but I know I don't want to find out. "Ow! You're hurting my arm!" I exclaim as his grip becomes tighter around my wrist. He barely looks back at me as he slams open a door into a dark room, and shoves me inside, locking the door behind us.

I don't know what to do; it feels like an out of body experience. "You're a beautiful girl Bella, you really don't need to cover yourself up like this." He smiles cruelly at me, "Let's just get you out of this dress shall we." He pushes me up against the door, and slides his hand up my thigh and into the bottom of my dress.

"I don't think so buddy!" I slap his hands away and try to push him off me. He just laughs and grabs my hands with one of his. He shoves them high above my head, and begins pushing my legs apart with his knee. "No need to get excited pretty girl… at least not yet." He bends his head down toward my neck and begins to kiss it roughly. Just then, a loud knock sounds at the door. "We're busy!" James shouts. The knock sounds again. He grabs my shoulders, swings me around, and shoves me into a chair in the corner. Snarling, he yanks the door open and a surprised looks comes over his face before he's shoved back violently. I cower against the back of the chair, wondering what's going on. As soon as the door is open all the way, I see a blur of motion, as someone pushes their way inside. James begins to pick himself off the ground, swearing at the person who pushed him. I quickly grab my things, and hurry out of the room to the sound of fists hitting flesh, and grunts as the mystery person fights with James.

As I run out of the room and head down the stairs, I try to dial Rose and Alice. Neither of them answers, so I stop for a moment and scan the crowd. I realize they're still dancing down by the bar but neither of them have their purses. I run back upstairs to the VIP room and grab their bags. Just as I'm scooping them up, I glance up to see Edward walking by, a furious scowl on his face, cradling his hand. He sees me out of the corner of his eye and stops, the scowl melting into a look of relief. I quickly open the door; "Are you okay? What are you doing here? How'd you know where I was? When did you get back?" I blurt out. He smiles grimly at me, and grabs my hand. "We need to get out of here, quickly" he chokes out. "Where are your friends?"

"I was just going to get them; they're downstairs dancing by the bar." I point to them. He nods, "Jasper and Emmett are here, they'll get your friends. I just need to get you out of here." He directs me towards them, and as we come up to them, they both spot us. At first they're just giggling, but when they see my disheveled state and Edward's angry expression, they both start to open their mouths to talk. "I'll call you guys tomorrow, but here are your things." I shout as Edward propels me to the door.

Once outside, Edward visibly relaxes. He points to his car which is parked near the door. "Let's get you home. I'll explain everything when we get there." As I slide in the car, and he walks around the front, I notice him flexing his fist as if it hurts a lot. He also drives me home with only one hand. The drive home is quiet and tense. I keep stealing glances at him out of the corner of my eye and I watch him clench his jaw as if he were angry. He pulls up in front of my house, and sits quietly for a moment as if debating with himself. "Can I come in?" he asks. "Of course. I'd like to take a look at your hand and make sure it's okay, too." I answer.

Once inside, I guide him over to my couch, and then tell him I'm going to go change into something better to sit around and talk. I run upstairs, take off my clothes, and climb into a pair of grey leggings, a tank top, and a comfy sweater (pic in profile). I also grab some aspirin and a bandage. When I get back downstairs, Edward is leaning his head back against the back of my couch with his eyes closed. He is rubbing his hand lightly. I clear my throat, "I brought you some medicine to help with your hand, and I can get you ice if you need. Do you want something to drink?" He smiles slightly, "Yes water would be great. Thank you." I go into the kitchen and pour him a glass of cold water. When I come back into the living room, Edward is sitting up and has a couple of pills in his hand. I hand him his glass and he quickly swallows them with a few sips of water. After, I sit down and pull his hand into my lap to look at it. "It doesn't really look broken, but I think we should take you to the hospital to be sure." He shakes his head at me and replies that he'd rather not. He leans his head back again wearily.

"I don't want to pester you with questions tonight; you look exhausted." He just nods his head slightly. I pull on his shoulder, and he looks at me with a questioning look on his face. "Come here." I pat the pillow I've pulled onto my lap. He hesitates for a minute, before lying down on the couch and placing his head on the pillow. I glide my fingertips across the creases on his forehead, and slowly they begin to melt away. He sighs lightly, "That feels nice." Glancing up at me he continues, "Now I suppose you'd like to know what happened tonight."

"I would like to know, but you don't have to go over it all right now. I know you're tired. You must have just gotten in tonight." He nods his head. I scoot down a little bit so I can lean my head against the back of the couch, and pull a throw over Edward's shoulders. We sit in silence for a while; I listen to the traffic outside. Edward's breathing gets slower and more even. He starts to snore quietly so I know he's asleep. I don't want to wake him and make him go home while he's so tired. I gently slide out from under him, and cover him better with the blanket. He rolls over and mumbles in his sleep. I can't help but giggle. I pull his shoes off, and set them next to the couch. I notice his cell phone has fallen out of his pocket, so I pick it up. As I'm about to set it on the coffee table, I decide to take a peek at it. I scroll through his messages until I see one from Jasper at around 9:00 tonight.

**Bella's at James' place. I thought you might want to know. **

So somehow Edward knows James. Sounds like there is more to this than meets the eye. A yawn overtakes me and I stretch. I sit down on the floor by the couch, and lean my head against the armrest. I turn my head, and watch Edward sleep. He looks so peaceful, and much younger than he is. I close my eyes, and breathe deeply. The events of the night wash over me, and I find myself crying quietly. My hands shake, so I slide them underneath my knees and bring my legs up to my chest. I lay my head on my knees and try to calm down, not wanting to wake Edward but not wanting to leave him either. After a few minutes, I feel his hand slide along the back of my neck. "You must be in shock" he says quietly. I shake my head at him frantically, trying to rub the tears from my eyes. "N-no. I don't know wh-what's wrong with me." He pulls me up onto the couch. "Here, sit up here. Let me get you some water." He sits me on the couch, and tucks the blanket around my legs and then goes into the kitchen for a glass of water.

While he's in the kitchen, I try and calm down. I can't stop thinking about how scared I was with James and what could have happened if Edward hadn't have shown up. He comes back into the living room and sits down on the couch besides me, handing me a glass of wine. "I found this in your fridge. Drink it slowly. The alcohol will help calm you down enough to sleep." I sip the wine, and after a few minutes I stop shaking. I can't seem to stop the tears from my eyes. Edward rubs soothing circles onto my back. "I'm sorry." I cry, "I can't seem to stop crying." He shakes his head at me, "That's normal when dealing with a trauma. The best thing you could do is talk about it and get it out of your system. Don't try and lock everything inside."

Edward slides his arm around me, and pulls me close to him. I place the now empty glass on my coffee table and revel in the warmth I feel from the wine. I lean against his shoulder and breathe in his scent. He smells like cologne and wind and clean laundry. I bring my feet up under me and snuggle into his side. "You smell wonderful." I mumble into his shoulder. I rub my face against him, and can feel the stubble of his chin rubbing against my forehead. "I like this." I say, rubbing my hand along his jawline. He groans softly, "I told you to drink that slowly. Now you're just drunk." I giggle to him "Yes. And now you can take advantage of my inebriated states." He just gives me a stern look, causing me to go into another fit of giggles.

I lie back against the armrest and glance over at Edward. He's staring at my as if I have three heads. "It's so _warm _in here." I say, taking my sweater off. I'm only wearing a thin tank top, and his eyes almost bug out of his head. "Oh what? Like you've never seen a girl in such little clothing? I bet you make sure all the lights are turned off when you have sex don't you? You are much too modest and… tight laced. You need to chill out a little!" By now, I've sat up on my knees and am leaning close to Edward. "You need to loosen up a little bit, I think." I whisper, before I press my lips against his neck. He leans back away from me, and puts his hands firmly on my shoulders, pushing me away from him. "You're making a mistake Bella." I push his hands off my shoulders, but lose my balance and fall into him, knocking him back against the other armrest. My mind is fuzzy but all I can think about is how much I want to kiss him. Edward licks his bottom lip, and I'm mesmerized by the tip of his tongue and realize I'm mimicking his actions. I press myself into him and painstakingly slow, press my lips against his. They're cool and wet, and he tastes spicy like cinnamon. It takes a few moments for him to respond, but soon he's moving his lips against mine. All I can feel is his breath, hot against my mouth and his hands roaming my back. All I can hear is my heart pounding in my ears. All I can see is the stars shooting behind my eyelids.

Edward suddenly flips me over and kneels above me. "Bella, you have no idea how hard this is for me, but I can't do this. You had a stressful, traumatic night, and you are drunk, and you need to get some sleep." He picks me up, and turns me toward the stairs. "Let's get you upstairs to bed." He loops his fingers through mine, and leads me upstairs. I'm stumbling as we go, so he sighs, turns around, and picks me up. "Good grief. You are more trouble than I would think." I am overcome with exhaustion and slump down in his arms. He makes it to my bedroom, kicks open the door and deposits me on the bed. After covering me with my duvet, he goes to leave. "Wait." I call to him. "Please stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone." He sighs again and shakes his head, "If you'd like me to, I will. But no funny business. This is strictly sleep related." I hold up two fingers, "Scouts honor." I giggle. He just smiles, and sits on the other side of the bed, before pulling off his button up shirt, leaving him in his jeans and a t-shirt. I pull him down onto the bed next to me and curl up against his side. He wraps his right arm around me, sliding his hand into my hair which he gently curls around his fingers. With his left arm, he pulls the duvet over both of us, and we both lie there in the dark. I yawn a couple of times, and I can hear him chuckle quietly. While he falls asleep relatively quickly, I lie next to him for at least another hour, listening to the sound of him breathing and thinking about tonight and how I'm sure I'll regret it in the morning. Eventually sleep overtakes me, and I drift off feeling warm and safe up against his side.


	7. Chapter 7

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

A heavy hand is resting against my stomach, and as I roll over I bump my head on someone's chin. I peer up through the mess of hair covering my face, and realize that Edward is in bed with me. I stretch out as much as I can without disturbing him too much. He starts to stir, and his hand slowly creeps up my stomach to my ribs and just a little higher before I grab it quickly. The sudden movement startles him awake.

Edward clears his throat, "Good morning." His voice is deep and hoarse with sleep, and it sounds delightful. I shiver at the sound.

He glances down at me, and realizes where his hand was, on the bare skin of my stomach where my tank top had ridden up during the night. I pull my shirt down, and sit up. My hair is tousled and falls around my shoulders.

Edward reaches over and gently smoothes it down on one side. "Morning suits you" he says. I smile and glance down at my lap in embarrassment. He clears his throat again, "Sorry about… that." He gestures towards my stomach.

I just laugh, "You can hardly stop what you do in your sleep. Well, since you're here, would you like breakfast? I can make some pancakes or something, and you can tell me about last night." He nods his head. "I've got a spare toothbrush in the bathroom you can use, and you can shower or whatever you want." I continue.

"Thank you Bella. I think I might take you up on that, if it's not too much trouble." He stretches, and I can't help but look him over when his shirt rides up his stomach. Edward notices me looking at him and smirks. "Like the view?" he teases.

I just shake my head at him and smile. I hop out of bed, and slide my feet into a pair of my slippers. "I'm just going to brush my teeth real quick, and then I'll leave you to do your thing." I quickly brush my teeth, and Edward watches me from the bed. "So, towels are under the sink, the spare toothbrush is next to the sink, and you can use anything else you find in here." I let him know before heading downstairs.

Once I'm in my kitchen, I start looking for things to make for breakfast. My fridge and pantry are woefully bare. I groan to myself, "Great, now I'm going to have to go shopping."

I head back upstairs to tell Edward, and I realize I hear the shower running. I decide to grab some clothes and get dressed in my bathroom downstairs. When I go into my room, I notice a crack in the door. I can see right into the bathroom where Edward is showering. I glance in the door just as Edward takes his shirt off; he looks even better without clothes than he does with clothes.

I quickly turn away, and head into my closet, grabbing out a couple tank tops, a pair of jeans, and some shoes. After, I grab a couple pieces of jewelry from my dresser and a more practical purse than I used last night (pic in profile). I get dressed in my small bathroom downstairs, and wash my face. I pull my hair back into a messy bun and sit down on my couch to wait for Edward. A few minutes later Edward comes downstairs wearing the jeans and t-shirt he had on last night; he's holding his button up shirt in his hand. He sits down on the couch next to me and puts his shoes on.

"So I realized I'm pretty much cleaned out food wise, and we have two options. Either we can go grocery shopping and you can get a home cooked meal out of me, or we can just go grab something to eat. I vote shopping, cause it'll kill two birds with one stone since I have to go anyway. But it's up to you." I inform Edward.

"Well, I don't mind going shopping at all. We can go whenever you're ready."

I stand up, and grab his hand. "Let's go then. After we pick up things, I'll cook you breakfast."

We head out the door, and into his car. "Just drive down this street till you see the grocery store" I tell him.

The drive is quiet, but not awkward. I'm itching to ask him about last night, but think it's something better dealt with when we're back home eating some comfort food. Once we get to the store we agree to split up. I send him on the errand of picking up eggs and bacon. I head over to produce to get some fresh fruit and juice. After that, I run over to the dairy aisle to pick up some milk, and cheese. I decide to worry about the rest of my shopping later in the week. We meet up about fifteen minutes later and I pay for the food.

Once back at my house, I quickly scramble some eggs, cook the bacon, and cut up some fruit. Edward offers to help, but I shoo him away and tell him to watch TV or something. I hear him turn on the TV but after a few minutes, I feel someone watching me. I turn around and he's leaning against the entrance to my kitchen with a small smile on his face.

"Nothing good on?" I ask.

"Nothing as exciting as this. It's been a long time since I've had a great home cooked meal."

I laugh at him, "I wouldn't get your hopes up. Eggs and bacon are fairly easy to prepare, so don't hold your breath for something gourmet."

Edward sits down on a barstool and watches me finish cooking. I tell him where the plates, cups, and silverware are and that he can meet me on the veranda out back. It's such a nice day. I quickly plate the food, and then head out the door. He's leaning back in his chair, the sunlight shining down on his face and hair. He looks so relaxed.

"I hope this is enough food." I interrupt his peace. "I also hope it tastes okay. Don't be afraid to tell me if it doesn't."

He shakes his head at me, "I have a hard time believing anything you do isn't complete perfection."

We eat quietly for a few minutes, and then I can't stand it anymore. "Maybe this isn't good conversation while eating but I wanted to know about last night."

Edward swallows the bite of food he was chewing. "Well there isn't much to tell. I am just glad I got there in time."

"Yeah… but how did you know I was there, let alone where I was? And I get the feeling you know James from before all this. And why did you help me?" I can't stop the flow of words out of my mouth.

He laughs lightly, "Let's take these one at a time shall we? How did I know you were there? Alice told Jasper, who told me. It's not the first time I've had to rescue someone from James. When I found out, I rushed right over with Emmett and Jasper. Let's see… I _do _know James. I won't get into the details, but let's just say he wronged me and never wanted to remedy the situation so I've made it my mission to watch out for anyone else he might hurt."

With that, he resumes eating. I mull this over in my mind while I pick at the remainder of my food. "Wait! You didn't answer my last question. Why'd you help me?"

"Simple. I care about you" he says quietly. "If something happened to you and I could have prevented it, I couldn't forgive myself." Glancing up at me through his thick lashes, I find I can't think straight.

I clear my throat. "Well, thank you for everything. I don't know what would have happened last night if you hadn't made it in time."

Edward slides to the edge of his chair and pulls the fork from my fingers. He laces his fingers in mine, and gently brings it up to his lips, kissing the side of my hand. "Bella, I feel very protective of you. I know you don't want anything to compromise the work relationship we have, but I will do everything in my power to help you succeed, whether it be at the law firm or elsewhere. Just give me the chance to prove myself to you."

I let out a shaky breath I was holding during his speech. Edward scoots back on his chair and looks out across my small backyard. I lean back against my chair, and clasp my hands in my lap. My mind has been racing since Edward stopped talking and I can't get it to stop.

To break the silence, I ask him about the orchestra this Friday night and if we can still go.

"Absolutely!" he says in reply. "I'd consider it 'black-tie' like the charity event. We could go out for dinner and drinks too, if you'd like."

"Sounds good to me. I am excited to get to see the orchestra play live. I have a favor to ask of you though…" I narrow my eyes at Edward.

"Sure, anything."

"Sometime, will you play the piano for me? I'd love to hear you play."

He chuckles nervously. "I don't normally play for people. In fact it's been a long time since I've even practiced. But if it's that important to you, then yes. Just let me get some practice in beforehand. And you have to go to dinner with me tomorrow night"

"It's a deal." I say, stretching my hand out to shake his. He clasps mine and we shake in agreement with one another.

Edward stands up then and announces that he has to get going. "I've got to go over some paperwork for Monday, and I shouldn't keep putting it off. I had a great time today, and last night… well at least the end of the night." He winks at me and I blush.

"Me, too. Thanks for rescuing me. I seriously can't thank you enough."

We clear off the table together, and put the dirty dishes into the sink. I walk him out to his car and wave goodbye from the sidewalk as he drives away.

I call Alice after he leaves, and ask her to go shopping with me. If I'm going to look good Friday night, I need something to wear. She lets me know she'll be over in 15 minutes, and so I hurry and gather my things up. I rinse off the dishes and just as I finish up, she's ringing my doorbell.

"I'm so excited! Let's go over to my store. I have a dress I just got in that will be perfect and you can get it at a huge discount."

I climb in her Porsche and she speeds off. I don't know how she doesn't get speeding tickets with the way she drives. She pulls into the parking lot near her shop, and we head inside. There are racks and racks of beautiful clothing, most of which is way out of my price range. If I didn't get a discount when I shopped here, I wouldn't. Alice looks through some dresses hanging up while I browse some jewelry sitting out artfully on a table.

"Here it is!" she calls, "Hurry and come try it on." She drags me to the dressing room and I put the dress on. How she knew this would be perfect is beyond me, but somehow she did. It fits like a glove. I already have some accessories that would be perfect with the dress, so I tell her I'll get it.

Alice rings me up and while she does, she asks me about last night. "What happened? You looked scared out of your mind last night when you and Edward left together. All Jasper would tell me was that James was bad news and then he and Emmett made us all leave together. By the way, I spent the night at Jasper's house. He has the nicest place. It's way bigger than my loft. And I know Emmett and Rose went home together, but I'm not sure whose place they went to. Didn't Jasper look great? He always looks dreamy – wait, you need to tell me about what happened!"

I roll my eyes at her. "You're a nerd, you know that?"

Alice smiles at me and gestures to me to continue.

"I'm not sure what exactly happened. When you and Rose left, I just stayed in the VIP room for a little while, just drinking and watching the crowd. You know how much I like to people watch. Anyway, James came upstairs and started to come onto me. When I turned him down, he got all crazy and dragged me into a back room and tried to… well anyway, suddenly someone pushed the door open and started fighting with James. I didn't even know it was Edward until after I left. I was grabbing my things, and saw him walk by. He grabbed me and we left right then. He didn't tell me why he did it, but I guess Jasper told him where we were, and since he has some sort of dirt on James he felt like he should come make sure we were okay. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't have shown up."

Even thinking about it today makes me shiver and feel sick to my stomach.

I continue, "So Edward took me home and came inside to make sure I was alright. I didn't want to be alone, so he stayed the night." I leave out the part where I got drunk and came onto Edward, or our extremely personal conversation from this morning. "Then we ate breakfast together and talked a little bit, and now I'm here."

Alice sighs, "That is so romantic. He saved you. He's like your knight in shining armor, minus the armor. Seriously Bella, that is so incredible. He must care about you a lot to come all that way just to make sure you were okay. Jasper said he flew in last night, and was to the club within two hours of landing. Which means he didn't even have time to go home and change or relax or anything."

"I know, and I feel so guilty about the whole thing. I feel like it's somehow my fault. I don't know what to think anymore either. This puts a whole new spin on our relationship." I shake my head. "Why can't I stop over-thinking things?"

"If you did, you wouldn't be Bella!" Alice laughs.

I smirk at her, and then ask her opinion about dinner tomorrow.

"You should wear your blue linen dress; it's nice but not too dressy. Plus you look phenomenal in blue" she suggests.

I agree with her, it's a comfortable choice and one that I can feel confident in. I try to convince myself that it's not a date, but I know I'm not fooling anyone.

Alice and I chat some more about Jasper and what's happening with their relationship. She's a fast mover, and apparently so is he. I won't be surprised if they get married. She also tells me that Rosalie and Emmett have gone out every night since they met and that he is trying to negotiate into her office so they can work together. "Between the two of them, they'll have some of the most famous and powerful clients in town!"

I let Alice know I need to finish up my grocery shopping and I give her a hug as I go with my bag in hand.

I hail a cab and have it drop me off at the grocery store. I head inside and pick up things I'll need for the next couple of weeks. It's still early in the afternoon, so I decide to drop the food off at home and go to the art museum the charity was held at. I have another cab take me home, and they wait while I quickly put everything away. Then he drives me to the museum.

The museum is free, but I put in a donation of $10.00 since I'm happy to support the arts. I find I'm drawn to the second floor, to the painting Edward showed me at the gala. It's a painting by Klimt. The colors are rich, showing a man and woman in a lovers embrace (pic in profile). I find tears are rolling down my cheeks.

"Don't be embarrassed." I hear a kind voice say. I turn to where I heard it, and an old man is sitting on a bench behind me. "You'd be surprised how many people are touched by art in that way."

I wipe underneath my eyes, and walk over to him. "Thanks. I'm a little surprised is all." I stick out my hand. "I'm Bella."

"George. George Baxter." He shakes my hand as I sit down next to him on the bench. "I can't help but notice you seem a little… upset" he says.

"No. Not really upset. I'm not sure what I am right now." I smile weakly at him.

"Happens to the best of us. I know when my darling girl Kate died I didn't know what to do with myself. Anything I can help you with? I'm an awful good listener." George winks at me.

I briefly explain the situation I'm in with Edward to him.

"Sounds like this guy's head over heels for you if you ask me. So what's the problem? Can't decide how you feel about him?" he asks.

"Yes. That's exactly it! I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I mean, I know I'm attracted to him, but he's my boss, so I think I keep pushing down these feelings because I don't want to overstep any boundaries. But if something were to happen, I don't want it to happen based off physical attraction alone. I want it to be something deeper."

George nods his head. "You seem to be a very smart girl, so I have no doubt things will work out the way they're supposed to with this boy."

I glance at my watch and realize I've been talking to George for longer than I though and it's now early evening. The museum is closing soon, so I thank him for the chat and head downstairs with him. "Come by any time. I'm here every Saturday afternoon." He says as we part ways at the door.

I decide to take a little walk to clear my head. The museum is fairly close to the marina, so I walk that way. The ocean air is strong, and there is a fog rolling in. This signals the closing of the glorious summer we've been having. I feel a little melancholy as I think of the winter coming up. The air is cool with the breeze blowing in from the bay and I wrap my arms around myself, wishing I had a jacket to keep me warm.

Once I get to the harbor, I lean against a railing overlooking the ocean. I watch as the sun sets behind some gray clouds and start to daydream. It starts out thinking about school, and the dreams I had for myself. I'm surprised to find that while they're still exciting, they don't hold the thrill for me that they used to. As my mind wanders, I find myself thinking of Edward and how strange our relationship has gotten. What started out as such a strained working relationship has turned into something I don't recognize and I'm unsure about. I think that what Alice told me must be true: I'm afraid of commitment.

I think about all the failed relationships I've had, and I realize that not one of the guys I was with ever made me feel the way Edward does: happy, confused, giddy, mixed-up, girly, beautiful, frustrated. He does it all with a glance in my direction. I slap my hand against the railing in frustration. Why am I over-thinking this? Is it because I've never dealt with it before? I just don't know what to do. I turn away from the beautiful scene before me, and it occurs to me it's gotten quite dark. I better get home soon. I spot a cab dropping someone off a little ways away, so I jog over to it and get inside.

After I give the cabbie my address, I sit back against the cracked vinyl seat and close my eyes. I doze off because the next thing I remember was the cabbie telling me we've arrived. I quickly pay him, and walk up to my door.

As I get up to the top step I realize there is a bouquet sitting there in the dark (pic in profile). I quickly pick it up, and unlock my door. As I step inside, I turn on lights in my living room and drop my purse on the ground while looking for a card within the mass of flowers. I think it must be from Edward, and how beautiful they are. Eventually I find a small card tucked into the side of the vase. I pull it from the ribbon and turn it over.

_You were beautiful last night. I'm sure you'll be just as beautiful next time we meet, pretty girl. – J_

I gasp and drop the card. Hands shaking, I set the flowers on my coffee table and bend down to pick up the card. I re-read it, and can't believe it's from James. How did he even find my house? I'm more than a little creeped out and frightened. I sit down on the couch, panic washing over me, and put my head between my knees. I'm suddenly light headed and don't want to faint. I breathe deeply, until I feel a little calmer, and then I stand up and check all the locks on my windows and doors. Once satisfied everything is locked up tight, I pick up my phone and dial Edward's phone number. As it starts ringing, I realized what I'm doing and quickly press "End". Why am I burdening him with this?

I decide to just throw the flowers away, and pretend that this didn't happen. I will deal with it in my own way. As I'm walking to the kitchen to throw the flowers out, my phone starts to ring.

"Hello?" I ask, my voice shaking, giving me away.

"Bella? Is everything okay? I just missed your call." Edward answers.

"Oh yeah!" I clear my throat and force my voice out. "Sorry, I accidentally dialed your number. Sorry."

Edward asks, "Are you sure you're okay? You sound… strange."

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm just really tired. Hence the misdialing. Um, while I've got you on the line, what time is dinner tomorrow?"

I hear him chuckle on the other end of the line, the sound warm and deep. "I'm glad you weren't calling to cancel. For a second there, I was worried. I was thinking around 6. Does that work for you?"

"Yes, that's fine." I say, stifling a yawn.

"I heard that. You better get to bed. You've had an eventful weekend." He says gently.

I agree with him, and we say our goodbyes. I go into the kitchen and finish cleaning up from this morning. I don't feel tired so much as drained. I quickly close the dishwasher, turn off my lights downstairs, except a lamp by my couch, and go upstairs. I decide to take a bath to relax before I go to bed. I let the hot water run and fill up the tub with bath oil. I light a few candles, put on some music, and slip out of my clothes once the water is deep enough. Then I climb into the warm water. I let the last couple of days replay in my head, and again I'm overcome with fear from what happened Friday night. That, coupled with the creep bouquet I got from James amplifies my feelings and suddenly I'm sobbing in the bathtub. I can barely breathe because I'm crying so hard.

As nice as Edward and Alice have been to listen to me talk about that awful experience, somehow I feel it's not over. I don't know how James found out where I live. I don't want to know. He's awful and creepy and I'm tempted to call the police. But there is no actual name on the card, no real proof the flowers were from him. I don't know what to do with myself. I wrap my arms around my knees and rest my head against my arms. Eventually, after a few minutes, my tears slow until I'm left sniffling in the water. I glance over at the clock on my wall while wiping the remaining tears from my cheeks, and see how late it is. The water is only lukewarm, so I climb out of the tub, letting the water drain. I pull my puffy robe around my body, and get in my big bed. As I roll toward my window, listening to the rain on the glass, I realize the pillow smells like Edward. It's strangely calming, so I press my face against the fabric and breathe it in until I fall asleep.

**Next morning**

For the second morning in a row, I sleep in much later than I'm used to. I lie in bed for a good hour, just falling in and out of sleep until eventually my body demands I get up and do something. I climb out of bed, realizing my robe came undone during the night. I'm glad Edward wasn't here to see that… although on second thought – "Snap out of it!" I think to myself. I don't have any plans today, so I decide to just stick around the house and get things in order.

First, I get dressed in some shorts, a t-shirt and some leather flip flops. I quickly plait my hair in a side braid and let it hang loose over my shoulder. I decide to forgo makeup until later since I'm just sticking around the house.

I start off cleaning up my room since I'm already in here. I pick up all the clothes I've let gather around my room and throw them into the laundry basket. I make my bed, and take a few minutes to straighten up my jewelry. I set aside a few pieces I'll be wearing tonight and then head into my bathroom. I set to cleaning my whole bathroom from top to bottom. I scrub everything down, and although it takes me a little while to get it to my satisfaction, I'm left with a sparkly clean bathroom my mother would be proud of. Then I run the vacuum through my bedroom and upstairs hallway.

After I'm done with all that, I head downstairs. I put away the dishes left in my dishwasher, and mop the floor. As I'm mopping, I notice how shabby the plants I have left out to grow on my porch are. I head out to water them and pull the few weeds threatening to choke them. After I'm done, I decide to sit out for a while and read, so I run back inside, grab a bottle of water, and a favorite book, and sprawl out on one of my deck chairs.

My skin starts to feel all prickly and hot, and it's been a couple of hours, so I decide to head inside. I look at my kitchen clock as I go and realize it's about 4:30. I need to start getting ready, and now I'm all sweaty. I run upstairs and take a quick shower and scrub the day off myself. I wrap my hair in a towel and put lotion on all over. Then I go into my closet and pull out the dress I'm going to wear (pic in profile). I blow dry my hair first, letting some of the natural wave come out, and then curl a few pieces to give it some extra body. I tousle it lightly and it somehow, magically, looks perfect. Then I put on a bit of makeup.

After I get dressed, I put on a few pieces of jewelry. At the last second I decide to wear the wooden bangles Edward got me. I'm sure he won't remember them anyway. Once I'm dressed, I go downstairs to wait.

"I'm pathetic" I giggle at myself, as I primp a little in the mirror near my front door. Just after 6 I hear a light tapping on my door. I try and take my time, picking up my purse and adjusting my belt before I open. Edward's fist is raised and ready to knock again. I startle him when I open the door with a big smile on my face. His breaks out in an identical one.

"Well hello" he says.

"Hello. You look nice." I reply. He does too. He's all sex on legs in his dark blue jeans and button up with his sleeves rolled up.

Edward leans in and I think he's about to give me a kiss on the cheek but he just whispers hotly in my ear, "You look lovely."

I shiver and roll my eyes at him. "Must you always do that to me?"

He just laughs and takes my hand into the crook of his arm. "Shall we?"

We climb into his car and take off.

"I heard about this place from a friend. It's a little out of the way, but worth it. I hope you don't mind a little bit of a drive." Edward explains when we get on the freeway heading north. He asks me about what I did yesterday, and I tell him about the museum and George Baxter.

He nods at me, "George is there every Saturday. We've had lots of interesting discussions. He's always sitting by that Klimt."

"Yeah! That's the one he was by when I met him. He seems so nice. What about you? How'd the rest of your day go?"

"Well, I was more distracted than I've been in a long time. I couldn't get a certain someone out of my head." Edward glances over at me and grins. I blush and smile back.

He tells me more about the case and what he went over. Although I'm not super interested in the case he's working on at the moment, the way he explains things make it seem more interesting to me. After he tells me about his case, he tells me about a business dinner he'd like me to go to with him later this week.

After about 30 more minutes of driving, he pulls off an exit and up a winding road. We end up at the front gate of a huge estate, which is on a beautiful vineyard. He drives through the gate and we pull up outside the restaurant. "This place is amazing. They make the best wine around."

We step out of the car and Edward leads me to the hostess. "The reservation is under Cullen" he tells her. She can't stop making gaga eyes at him as she leads us to our table on the veranda. It's still really warm outside, and you can see out across this beautiful valley filled with grape vines. She lets us know our server will be with us shortly (ha. OUR server? More like Edward's server. She barely acknowledged me).

We look over our menus and each decides on what we'd like. I set my menu down and gaze out on the awesome views. Edward speaks quietly with the server when he comes for our order. After our server leaves, Edward leans forward and smiles at me. "So what do you think?" he asks.

"It's beautiful. Really this place is amazing." I tell him truthfully. This is really one of the best dates I've been on in a long time. Nothing too fancy, it doesn't feel like he's trying too hard. Granted, he's rich and so to him this is probably nothing, but it doesn't feel stuffy or uncomfortable. We talk about the business dinner we're going to on Wednesday night; it's with a very important potential client. He explains some minor details of the case, in case I get asked anything, and then surprises me by telling me he'd like me to be his date, not his assistant at this dinner. "So dress for a date" he says, winking.

Not much later, our dinner arrives. It's everything I thought it would be; I try not to eat too quickly. As we eat we get to know each other a little better. He tells me about high school, and how he stopped swimming after getting into a motorcycle accident and tearing a ligament in his knee. "It still hurts after all these years" he says, grimacing. I tell him about how I got caught defacing the school mascot my senior year, and almost didn't graduate. He laughs at my misfortune, and the sound is like music to my ears.

Toward the end of dinner, he asks me why I decided to get into forensic science. This is a question I hate to answer. It's such a personal reason. I shrug and give him my standard cookie cutter answer, "My dad was a cop; it just made sense." He looks at me warily and shakes his head.

"I'm positive that's not all there is to that story, but you don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable."

I just smile at him lightly, "Maybe someday."

After dinner, Edward orders a chocolate cake that makes me want to die; it's so delicious. We share it, and I'm fascinated by how sexy he can look eating a piece of cake. I can't help it, I'm seriously turned on by the time dessert is gone.

By now, the night has grown dark and chilly, so he wraps his arm around my shoulder as we walk to the car. "Is there anything else you'd like to do tonight?" Edward asks me.

"Not that I can think of. I've just enjoyed spending time with you." I admit to him.

"Would you like to come back to my place? I could show you where I live; we could get a couple drinks?" he suggests

"Sure, sounds good."

We drive back down to the city, and he pulls into a ritzy neighborhood. We pull into a parking garage underneath a swanky building, and he enters a number on the keypad to let him into his private parking space. We take a short elevator ride up to the top floor, and he lets me in. The elevator lets us out right into his apartment. It's huge and bright and has floor to ceiling windows almost everywhere. He takes me on a short tour, pointing out his kitchen, office, theater room, and living room. He points to the stairs, "My bedroom and guest bedroom are up there. If you ever need a place to stay for some reason, let me know."

We go into his kitchen, and he offers to make me a drink. "No, thank you. With all the wine we drank tonight, I better take it easy. I'll just have water with lime." He pours me a glass from his massive fridge and he gets a glass of whisky. I sit down gingerly on his huge cream couch, and it's easily the most comfortable couch I've ever sat on in my life. I lean into the plush cushions and he brings me my drink.

"I know what you mean. It's the best couch ever. I could never part with it" he says, laughing.

Edward un-tucks his shirt, and settles in on the couch next to me. I slide my sandals off, and pull my feet up underneath me. As we talk, I notice we've gradually moved closer and closer to one another, like magnets.

I slowly trail off mid-sentence while telling him about what made me decide to move to California. I notice his eyes have slowly moved from mine down to the dip in the front of my dress. To be fair, my dress is pretty low cut. I glance down at his mouth; the tip of his tongue darted out and moistened his lips. I breathe out slowly, but shakily. He notices me watching him and smiles that crooked smile.

He leans in close and whispers, "Is this okay?" and I nod dumbly.

Pulling me closer to him, and sliding his hand up my shoulder to lightly touch my neck, he asks "Is _this_ okay?"

My eyes flutter close.

Brushes his scruffy jaw against mine, his hot breath grazing my ear, "How about _this_?"

I can't breath.

Painstakingly slow, Edward presses his open mouth against my neck right below my left ear, and drags his mouth from one end of my jaw, down to my chin, and ends with a gentle, quiet kiss on my mouth. As we kiss, he slides his tongue across my lower lip, and I open my mouth to kiss him deeper. He tastes like the whiskey and something about it is so delicious and masculine that I find myself groaning into his mouth. He groans back and presses me up against the back of his couch. I vaguely notice music in the background but I'm too distracted to wonder where it's from or when it started.

I push Edward off me. "What's wrong?" he asks, looking concerned. I slide down the couch, until I'm lying back against the armrest.

"Nothing" I whisper gruffly and grab his shirt, pulling him down to me.

He smiles against my mouth, and presses against me. I run my hands down his back and underneath the hem of his shirt, feeling his smooth skin and taught muscles. One of his hands is cupping my cheek, while the other slides down my body until it reaches the bare skin of my leg. His fingers are dancing across my skin and I can't think straight.

Suddenly, Edward pushes himself up, hovering above me. "I don't want to rush you, and I don't think we're ready to take this to where it's about to go" he says softly. He gently kisses my mouth, my neck, my cheek, and then pulls me into a sitting position.

I sigh, and put my hands up to my cheeks. They're burning hot, and I'm sure they are just as red. He laughs and pulls my hands off my face. "You look beautiful."

I grab his left wrist and turn it toward me; his watch reads 11:47. "Oh boy, I better get going." I exclaim.

He nods, "Let me take you home." He stands up and adjusts his shirt and grabs his keys and phone from the side table where he dropped them. I pick up my sandals from the floor, and slide them on. As we walk toward the door, I also grab my purse from his kitchen counter where I left it when we came in.

Edward slides his hand into mine, and right before we leave his apartment, he presses me up against the wall and kisses me again. I feel like I'm going to collapse, but he holds me up. "I don't want you to leave."

"Neither do I" I reply. The elevator dings, and as we ride down to the garage, he tells me his passcode to get into his apartment: 20493.

"You're welcome anytime. Honestly, you don't even need to call before you come over. I want you to be part of my life" he says softly, while playing with the fingers on my right hand.

Once home, I fall asleep without any trouble. When I dream, it's of him. And I couldn't be happier.

AN –

Holy. Sexual. Tension. Good grief. I about mauled my husband after writing the last bit of this chapter. Nothing better than "first date" sexual tension. I hope you enjoyed it cause I sure did!


	8. Chapter 8

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

I wake up to the shrill sound of my alarm, instead of warm in Edward's embrace as I dreamt about. I frown to myself when I realize that I am alone in bed. After last night, I'm becoming more and more sure about where I stand in Edward's life, and his place in mine. Maybe my life won't turn out exactly as I had planned, but I could be happy anyway. One thing I know for sure is that boy knows how to kiss something fierce. I stretch out, and climb down from my huge bed. After I shower and get ready for the day, I quickly dress in a turquoise and black dress with some black flats (pic in profile) and throw everything into a new purse I bought a few weeks ago. I am feeling pretty low key today and want to get to work and see Edward as soon as possible.

I head outside and Sam is waiting as usual. I climb in the back of the car and we head off towards work. He drops me off at the Starbucks at the corner, and I go inside for our coffee. This morning I decide to throw something extra in for Edward, so I buy him a bagel as well. I walk to my office and take the elevator up to our floor.

I'm just on time, but Edward's office is dark and his door is shut tight. It's not like him to run late, so I figure he must have had an early meeting come up or something. I go ahead and drink my coffee, and leave his on the end of my desk for him to pick up when he's in today. I boot up my computer, and check my emails. I start answering them, and my day goes by fairly quickly. I get caught up in a dispute over the phone regarding a case with a paralegal who wants into Edward's office for some deposition files.

Before I know it, three hours have passed, and Edward still isn't here. I tell her I'll call her back and dial Edward's home phone number. No answer there. I call his cell phone, and there is still no answer. I'm really worried at this point, so I walk over to Jasper's office. He's on the phone, but gestures for me to come in. I sit down in a chair across from his desk and he finishes up his phone call.

"What's up?" he asks with a grin.

"Have you talked to Edward this morning? He didn't call in, I don't have an email from him, and I can't reach him at home or on his cell phone."

"No, I haven't talked to him all weekend. I could swing by his house on my lunch break if you're worried."

"Oh no, you don't have to do that. I actually can just go by later. I just was wondering what was going on. I don't know if there is something I need to be doing for him…" I trail off.

Jasper smiles at me, "No need to explain. I am sure he'd appreciate your dedication. If I hear from him, I'll let you know."

I thank him and leave. I don't have much going on today, I have already taken care of any time sensitive issues pending in my inbox, and I don't want to organize any files in Edward's office without talking to him first. I decide I'll have Sam take me to Edward's apartment to check on him. I hope he doesn't feel like I'm overstepping any boundaries.

Sam is downstairs waiting for me by the time I round up all of my things. We make our way across town to Edward's apartment. I go inside and the elevator ride seems to take ages; long enough for me to get nervous. I type in the number on the door, and they open. I hesitantly step inside his apartment.

"Edward?" I call quietly. All I hear is silence. I set my bag down on the floor near the door, and walk further inside. I think I can hear someone moving around upstairs, but I'm not sure. I call his name again, and I can almost make out a voice answering. Again, it's coming from upstairs so I decide to try my luck.

I quietly walk up the stairs to where his bedroom is. I'm unsure which door is his, so I just guess. I open the one to my left, and I'm spot on. Edward is lying halfway on his bed, halfway off, hair matted to his forehead with sweat, and an awful look on his face like he's in pain. I rush over to him, and bend down.

"What's wrong?" I exclaim.

He grimaces and shakes his head. "I'm not sure. I woke up early this morning feeling awful and when I got up out of bed, I must have passed out and hit my head. I just woke up again a few minutes ago down there by my dresser, and crawled to my bed. I was trying to get to my phone so I could call you."

"You've been passed out? That doesn't sound good at all!"

"I don't think I was passed out the whole time. I remember waking up a few times but didn't have enough energy to get up" he says, rolling his eyes at me.

I help him into his bed, and look at the back of his head. Sure enough, he's got a big bruise and a small gash at the bottom of his skull. It looks like it's going to hurt, but didn't do too much damage.

"I'm going to get you some medicine, and clean this cut up. Oh and there's some blood on the floor and your dresser. Where are your cleaning supplies?" I ask him.

He weakly gestures toward his massive bathroom. I walk inside and look through the cabinet behind his mirror. There are some painkillers and other random medications. I call to ask him what exactly is wrong. He says he doesn't know, but he has a headache and is achy all over. I decide to just go with painkillers for now. I also grab a washcloth and run it under warm water. I head back in with a glass of water, a few pills, and give them to him. While he takes his medicine, I lean him forward and gingerly clean the cut off. It's not bleeding anymore, so I decide to just leave it as is. After I'm done, he leans back against the pillows and closes his eyes.

"I know you don't feel well, but I don't think you should go to sleep just yet. I don't know if you have a concussion or anything. I really should take you to the doctor." I tell him as I head into the bathroom to gather some cleaning supplies.

"No doctor, please. I am positive I don't have a concussion. It would be a waste of time and money."

I smile to myself, but turn it into a stern look when I enter his room again. "Well then you'll be my patient, and I will make sure you get better from whatever is wrong with you. For now, just sit there and be good. When I'm done cleaning this up I can make you something to eat. Does anything sound good?"

He shakes his head.

"Toast it is." I tell him.

I bend down and clean off the base of the dresser and the wood floor where some blood is showing. As I straighten up and turn around, I notice Edward watching me with a small smile on his face.

"Like the view?" I smirk at him. He nods and closes his eyes again.

I put the supplies away and go downstairs. I am not sure where anything is in his kitchen, but don't want to keep bothering him so I just make do. I find some bread in a cupboard, and behind a cool sliding door are a bunch of appliances. There is a toaster in there, so I quickly toast him a single slice of bread. I also find some tea near the coffee machine, so I brew him a weak cup of tea. I'm not sure what he's got and I don't want him to get any sicker so I leave it at that. I bring it all up to him, but when I get upstairs he's already asleep again.

I set the tray down on his bedside table, and sit down gently on the edge of his bed. He looks so worn out that I begin to wonder if this illness is just stress catching up with him. He's been working so hard, and this weekend couldn't have been easy on him, having to deal with James and all of my drama. I smooth the damp hair off his forehead, and he leans into my hand in his sleep. I decide to let him rest, so I tuck the duvet around his shoulders and move over to the couch on the far side of the room. As I'm settling in, I hear him whisper, "Come stay with me." I look up toward him and he has his eyes open slightly and is patting the bed next to him.

"Are you sure? I don't want to bother you while you're not feeling well." He nods tiredly at me and I climb off the couch and onto his huge bed. I kick off my shoes and lie down next to him and try to get comfortable. He turns toward me and slides his hand into mine. Within a few minutes, he's drifted off to sleep. I watch him for a while but eventually sleep wins out and I'm right there in dreamland with him.

I wake up several hours later with my dress bunched up around my thighs, and Edward sprawled out across his bed and across my body. The room is lit by the late afternoon sun streaming in through his window and I realize my stomach is growling. I try to dislodge myself from Edward's steel grasp. It seems to be futile because he won't budge. I giggle quietly at the absurdity of this situation. I decide to just go with it. I roll over and pull his arm closer around my body. I'm hungry and a little uncomfortable, but this feels nice. I didn't realize before how lonely my life was. He snuggles up against my back, and I can feel him breathing against my hair. Wait… he's… sniffing my hair. I stiffen and can hear him chuckle gruffly. He squeezes me, "I've been awake for a few minutes. I wanted to see how determined you were to leave." I roll over in his arms and he studies me with his green eyes. "Obviously you weren't too determined."

I smile at him shyly. "I think I need to eat something. You probably do too. How are you feeling?" I ask.

He stretches gently, "Actually quite a bit better. I would like to take a shower and I'll try to eat something after if I'm feeling up to it."

I nod in agreement. "Showering always helps me feel better when I'm sick." I push his arm off me, and sit up, straightening my dress as I do. "I'll let you get up and showered, and I'll meet you downstairs. Call me if you need anything."

I gather up the tray with his now cold toast and tea, and take it downstairs into the kitchen. After, I go into the living room, sit down on the most comfortable sofa in the world, and leaf through a magazine left on his coffee table. I can hear the muffled sound of the shower running, and hope everything is okay with Edward.

After about twenty minutes, I begin to get worried that he passed out again so I climb the stairs again and knock on his bedroom door. He doesn't answer so I peek my head inside. He's not inside, so I assume he's in the bathroom. I knock on the door to the bathroom but all I can hear is the shower going and some muffled music. I still don't hear an answer so I crack the door. "Edwa – " I start to say but my mind shuts down mid-sentence. I can see the reflection of the shower in the mirror above the sink, and Edward is obviously okay. He's naked and wet and standing with his back toward the mirror. I can't stop staring as I watch the water make its way from his messy wet hair, down his long neck and back, slowly down his muscled form to the drain. I feel like such a creep so I hurry and shut the door and run back downstairs before he can catch me being a peeping Tom.

I realize I was holding my breath and sit down at the bottom of the stairs to collect myself. Edward is the most handsome, sexy guy I've ever met and at this point, I don't think I could stay away if I tried. I shake my head at what this has become. As I start to stand up, I hear the door at the top of the stairs open and Edward appears wearing a pair of baggy pajama pants and a white t-shirt, toweling his wet hair. He grins at me, "I feel much better. Thanks for waiting; sorry I took so long."

"You're fine. I'm glad you're feeling better. I was thinking about what could be wrong and I decided you must have had a migraine brought on by stress. I get them every once in a while if I don't get enough sleep and I'm too stressed." I tell him.

He nods, "That would make sense, given how awful I was feeling. I'm really embarrassed I passed out." He rolls his eyes at me. "I hope that doesn't leave this apartment."

Laughing I tell him I'll keep his little secret. He drapes his wet towel on the banister at the bottom of the stairs, and takes my hand, leading me to the kitchen. "What'll it be cute girl?" he asks, pointing me to the barstool and rummaging through his fridge. "I've got leftover Chinese, frozen pizza, sandwich stuff… just say the word and it's yours."

I place my finger on my chin as if deep in thought, "I'm not sure… you're the sick one. You should pick what sounds good to you."

He straightens up, closing his refrigerator door, and turns toward me, an evil smirk on his face. "Well in that case…" he lunges toward me before I have the chance to move and picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder. We're laughing and he runs into the living room, tossing me down on his couch. "I pick you" he says gently, kneeling above me and placing a soft kiss on my nose.

He slides a warm hand underneath my head, and with his other hand he clasps my hand tightly, pulling it up toward his chest. He leans down and kisses my knuckles, and gently rubs his thumb across the smattering of freckles scattered across the side of my thumb. He leans against the back of the couch, supporting his weight, and studies me as if memorizing me. "You're completely fascinating" he whispers, and his eyes meet mine. My breath hitches in my throat, and I find I can't stop looking at him. I shift onto my side, and we lie facing each other on the couch. I pull my hand from his, and place it flat against his chest, feeling his heart beat and each breath he pulls into his lungs. "The things you do to me…" he groans, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me flush against him. He holds me like this for a while, kissing the top of my head occasionally, and I can feel all of him on me. I feel like this heat could melt me and I close my eyes and revel in it.

After a few minutes, my stomach starts to growl and I blush at the sound. He laughs loudly, and announces that we have to eat something or we'll both perish. I nod, but am secretly fuming at myself that we have to ruin this beautiful moment. He stands up, and pulls me off the couch with him. Once in the kitchen, we decide to just make sandwiches. I throw a couple together, and Edward grabs some glasses filled with water. We eat and talk about work a little and what we need to do to get caught up from today. Luckily, Edward didn't have any meetings he missed today so it won't be too hard to get things back in order.

After we finish up, we quickly clean up the kitchen, putting things away and placing the dishes into the dishwasher. Its early evening, and he asks me to stay with him for a few more hours. He gives me a pair of sweats and an undershirt to put on so I can be more comfortable and we decide to watch a movie. I go into the bathroom downstairs to change. I pull my hair out of the bun it's in and muss it up. Then I slide out of my dress, fold it up, and slip on the clothes Edward gave me. They're too big, so I roll the pants up, and tie the shirt behind me so it fits a little better. Giggling at my appearance, I shake my head and go back out to the living room.

I shuffle into the living room, and Edward sticks his head around the corner from his hall. "Come back here with me; we can watch a movie in my theater" he says, gesturing with his hand to follow him. I go down the hall and as I'm walking, I trip over the hem of the sweat pants and crash into Edward. He in turn falls against the door frame and is barely able to keep himself from hitting the ground. After slamming down onto the floor, and hitting my head against a floorboard, I roll over groaning in pain. Edward is holding his head while sitting up against the wall. His shoulders are shaking. I am so worried I hurt him really bad that I sit up, and crawl over to him to see if he's okay. All of the sudden he bursts out laughing. It's so loud and boisterous that it startles me, and I start laughing too.

"I'm so sorry!" I say between giggles. "These pants are too long!"

Edward wipes the tears from below his eyes, and tries to gain some composure. "You're fine. I should have just carried you" he teases me. He climbs to his feet, and holds a hand out for me. "Let's just take this nice and slow."

We walk hand in hand into the theater. It's dark, and he flicks a switch and the lights slowly come on. It's kind of a sexy room, dark paint on the walls with curtains draping here and there on the walls as well. The theater seats look plush and are covered in chocolate brown velvet. He sits me down on one of the chairs, and asks me what I want to watch. I am impartial and tell him so. He grabs one from off the shelf and asks me if I've ever seen it. "The Usual Suspects is an amazing movie. One of the best endings in cinema history" he proclaims when I tell him that I haven't. He slides the DVD into his system, and the lights dim.

Edward sits down on the chair next to me, and with all the lights off the tension between us is magnified 100%. I can feel the energy and heat coming off his body in waves and it's all I can do not to crawl over to him and sit on his lap. He slides the armrest between us up, and pulls me over to him. I lean against his side, and he plays idly with my hair. I don't even pay attention to the movie because what he's doing to me is making my mind go fuzzy. About half an hour into the film, I've made my way from his side to his lap, and I'm nuzzling the side of his neck. He smells like soap and I can feel the scruff from his jaw scraping against my forehead. His arms tighten around me, and he places soft kisses from the top of my head down to my cheek.

"You're delightful" he murmurs against my skin. I turn my face toward him and brush my lips up against his. I feel the sides of his lips pull up into a smile as he kisses me back. We continue this way for an undetermined amount of time, until I happen to catch a glance of the clock hanging on the back wall. The movie has long since ended, and a blue screen has taken over the large TV. It's nearly midnight and I still have to get home for the night.

Groaning, I lean back against the arm of the couch, dramatically throwing my arm across my eyes. "What's the matter?" he laughs. I gesture toward the clock, "It's time for this Cinderella to call it a night" I mutter. He laughs again, and quickly picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder and taking me into the hall, depositing me in front of the bathroom door. Assuming it's so I can change, I head in and close the door. "Wait, what are you doing?" he asks. I point towards the clothes I'm wearing, "Changing." I state matter-of-factly.

Shaking his head, he gathers my clothes up in his arms that I left folded on the bathroom counter and pulls me behind him out to the front room. I move around quickly gathering the rest of my things: my shoes by the couch, my purse and phone by the front door. As we wait for the elevator to pick us up, he rubs his thumb across my cheekbone gently. "Thank you for today… for the last few weeks in fact" he says. "You've given me the chance to show you who I really am, and that's all I could ever ask of you. Thanks for taking care of me today too. That was more than I would expect from most people."

I blush and shake my head at him. "It was nothing, I really didn't mind. You were the perfect patient." Edward ducks his head toward mine quickly and presses a light kiss against my cheek and then leads me into the elevator. The ride down to the garage is quick, and unfortunately the drive back to my house feels even quicker. Once we pull in front of the house, he quickly runs around the car, opening my door for me and takes me up the front steps. "Thanks again for everything" he says, "I really appreciate it." After a tender kiss goodnight, he climbs back into his car and I go inside, sighing at the perfection of this day. After I climb into bed (still wearing Edward's clothes) I lie awake for hours, thinking of him and how wonderful he is.

The next day consists of getting Edward all caught up on his case load, and talking about the client we're expected to take to dinner the next night. It flies by fast, and after work I realize I'm about out of clean clothes so I drop off a bunch of things to be dry-cleaned and do a few loads of laundry while making sure I'm completely ready for the dinner. I wax my legs and eyebrows, and put a deep conditioning treatment in my hair. The client we're going to dinner with is a really important one, and I want to impress him. I sit down while my hair is being treated and paint my toenails and finger nails a deep brownish-beige color.

While I'm waiting for it to dry, I turn on my TV to see what's on. I start watching a romantic comedy. Throughout the whole movie, I can't stop comparing the lead actor to Edward. He's not as good looking, funny, hardworking, smart… the list goes on and on. I giggle to myself as I realize I'm doing this. After a little while I realize I need to rinse my hair, so I hobble into the bathroom trying not to smudge my nail polish. I hop in the shower and rinse my hair out. After it's all rinsed I stay in a little longer, letting the hot water run over my body and think about how things are turning out.

All of the sudden I hear a huge crash that sounds like it came from downstairs. I quickly turn the water off, and hold my breath while listening to hear the noise again. There isn't much more noise, but what sounds like some falling glass. I quickly step out of the shower and wrap a huge towel around me I get nervous and grab my cell phone from my bedside table and a bat from under my bed. My dad got me used to keeping one near me for protection but I never thought I'd have to use it. I quietly tiptoe down the hall and try to see what's going on downstairs. I don't see much, but the lights are dimmed in my living room so I quietly walk downstairs.

As I round the corner from my stairs into my living room, I catch sight of my shattered picture window. My whole living room is open to the elements. Before I get cut, I grab a pair of rain boots that I had nearby my front door and slip them on. I quickly dial 911 while examining my living room for evidence of what happened. I see the culprit lying on the ground in the doorway between my living room and kitchen; a huge rock with a message taped to it. I don't pull the message off because I don't want to get my fingerprints all over it, but rather explain what happened to the operator and she tells me that she's dispatched a police officer to come to my house and take my statement. She asks me if I need to stay on the line with her and I tell her no, that I'll call my friend to come stay with me.

After hanging up with the 911 operator, I call Edward before I realize what I'm doing. I tell him what happened and he tells me he'll be over in 15 minutes and that he fully expects me to sleep in his guest room tonight. He hangs up before I have the chance to protest. After a few minutes of standing around in shock, I realize a police officer has pulled up out front and is now pounding on my door. "Miss!" he shouts, "Are you okay?" I quickly run to my front door and yank it open. "I- I'm fine." I assure him as I hold open the door and show him the way to the disaster. He glances at my bare shoulders for a second and then gets to work. I blush and tell him I'm going to run upstairs and put some clothes on. He just nods while he takes out a notebook and starts putting notes about the crime scene that was once my living room.

I rush upstairs, kicking off my rain boots as I go. Once I get into my room, I throw on the first things I see: a pair of beat up cropped jeans, a striped thermal shirt, and my gray Pumas (pic in profile). While I'm upstairs I grab the things I'll need for tomorrow during work and our client dinner since Edward won't take no for an answer about me staying at his house. I shove everything I need into a bag, except my dress which I hang up in a garment bag and bring it all downstairs with me. The cop glances in my direction as he hears me come back in. He's talking into a radio on his shoulder. "Well miss, let's hear what happened" he says after finishing up calling in a bunch of codes. I sit down shakily on my couch and tell him what happened. "Nothing is missing, so I don't think anyone came in or that they were trying to rob me… to be honest I had a run in a couple of nights ago with a nasty guy, and I think he left me some flowers earlier with a sort of threatening note. I didn't tell anyone because I don't know that it's from him, I just got that feeling you know. I don't know how he found out where I lived, but I wouldn't put it past him." I shudder thinking about James' cold eyes and the way he manhandled me. I tell the cop where he works and describe him. He promises to check it out. He picks up the rock that broke my window and peels the note off of it, reading it out loud.

_I found my present in the trash. Shame on you for wasting my affections in that way. Don't worry, I'll figure out a way to get you to notice me. _

This time, it's not signed. I hand it over to him. It's typed this time, not handwritten, and I already threw away the other note. I shake my head. "I don't know if it's from him or not, but it has the same tone to it." He bags the note and tells me he'll get it fingerprinted and hopefully something will come of it. "In the meantime, you'll want to get some plywood over that window until you can get it fixed." I nod at him. He apologizes for the rough night and heads out the door.

As he's walking down the stairs, Edward is heading up. He's got a bunch of boards in his hand and a hammer and nails. He tells me he'll cover up my window. I just nod numbly and go into the kitchen to sit down away from the noise. While he's hammering away, I call Alice and tell her what happened and that I'll be with Edward tonight.

"Are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you? You really need to get a security system. Maybe a dog. You own your townhouse right? You don't have any restrictions on pets? If not, we should go tomorrow to get one. A tough one. Oh I'm so sorry Bella! I really wish I cou- " she says in one breath.

Cutting her off I tell her not to worry and that things will get sorted out. She asks me if I want to stay with her tonight and I let her know of my plans with Edward. She squeals loudly and I can hear things crashing around her as I'm sure she's leapt off her bed and is running into furniture like a Tasmanian devil. I hear a smooth, distinctly male voice in the background laughing and telling her to calm down. "Is Jasper there?" I ask. She stops running around long enough to answer with a resounding yes. I laugh at her and tell her to get back to her man and hang up.

Edward is done nailing boards onto my empty window frame and he gathers up the loose nails and hammer. While he does that, I start vacuuming up the broken glass from my rug. I am so frustrated and scared but I don't want to tell anyone about my suspicion that it's James who's torturing me. Who knows what else he's capable of? I try to put him out of my mind and focus on getting this mess cleaned up. I know I'll be finding little shards of class in nooks and crannies for a while but this is the best I can do right now.

"You ready to go?" Edward asks me with a concerned look on his face. I nod and he slips his hand in mine, picking up my bag with the other and leading me outside. I quickly lock up and we head over to his house.

"I'm sorry about all this." I say quietly, gesturing toward my house. I feel so stupid that all of this has happened. I'm a grown woman; I should be able to take care of myself.

"Don't worry about it. I want to protect and take care of you. I would feel like the scum of the earth if I let anything happen to you that I could have prevented." He smiles at me and pulls me close to him, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Let's just get you home."

Home… I like the sound of that.

AN – Sorry I've been AWOL for the past few weeks. I've been swamped with work and school… I promise I'll be better. Thanks for the awesome reviews; I appreciate hearing that you like my story. : )


	9. Chapter 9

AN - Wow. If you're reading or have read my story and have been waiting for an update, I don't even know what to say other than I'm truly sorry. Life got in the way. I'm double majoring and the last couple of years have just been so unbelievably busy. My story truly just took the backseat to the rest of my life and that's all I can say about that. Thank you for sticking around (if you have) and if you're new, please don't give up on me. I love writing but it is a hobby and I have other responsibilities which unfortunately don't always allow me to update when I would like. So, with my deepest apologies, let the show go on…..

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

After we get to Edward's apartment, he carries my bag into the guest bedroom and asks me how I'm doing. I smile at him and shake my head "I'll be okay. I think I'm still just a little shaken up."

He glides the tip of his finger from the top of my head to the tip of my nose and smirks. "I've got just the thing to calm your shaken nerves."

Leaning in close, he whispers hotly in my ear, "_Scotch._"

Shivering, I gape up at him. He just gives me one more smirk and pulls my hand to follow him. "Are you sure this is a good idea to do on a weeknight?" I ask him.

"Well if this was a night before we had to go to work, I'd have to agree that it's not such a good idea. But I decided you – and I - need the day off to recover from… all this" he answers, sweeping his hand in the general direction of my neighborhood. "I don't want you to have to worry about going into work. You can work here from my apartment and relax and then tomorrow night we can go to dinner. I want you to feel your best when you meet with us."

With that he takes my hand and leads me into the living room to a small bar tucked away in a corner. Grabbing a couple of glasses, he fills them with ice and pours us each a healthy amount to drink. He points me towards the couch and follows me to relax on the cushions of heaven. I pull my shoes off, lean back onto the armrest and sip my scotch. He follows suit and leans against the other armrest. A few minutes later I feel the warming effects of the scotch as it slides smoothly down my throat. We sit in companionable silence for a while as we finish our drinks.

I start to feel super relaxed so I set my empty glass on the floor next to the couch and curl my feet up underneath myself. I lean my cheek against the back of the couch and wrap my arms around my knees and ask "So what do you usually do for fun on these long, lonely nights?"

Laughing, he gets up, pats me on the head and walks over to a stereo system and turns on a quiet, melancholy song (link on profile) and then comes back to me. He pulls me off the couch and pulls me into his arms. "Nothing as fun or exciting as this, I can promise you that" he murmurs into my hair.

Swaying slightly, he holds me cradled against his chest and I absorb the music that's playing. The slightly sad feel to the song makes all the emotions and fear I was suppressing from tonight bubble over and before I know it, I'm crying silently into the crook of his neck.

He gently rubs my hair from the crown of my head to the ends and continues to hug me tightly. We stand in the middle of his living room for a while longer, me with tears streaming down my face, barefoot and exhausted, and him with his work shirt un-tucked and his hand in my hair, telling me silently that it will all be okay. Eventually, I pull myself from his warm embrace and wipe the remnants of tears from my cheeks using my shirt sleeves.

"You missed one" Edward whispers, reaching out with a gentle hand and wiping a tear from the bottom of my chin. Taking my other hand he continues, "Eyes that beautiful should never look that sad."

A small smile comes over me and I turn my eyes down shyly and look at the floor. "I guess I'd better get ready for bed. It's been a long day and I am pretty tired."

He just nods and glances down at our intertwined fingers. I slip my hand out of his and start walking towards the guest bedroom. "Make yourself at home. Seriously, anything you need… just help yourself" Edward says to me as I reach the door to the bedroom.

Turning toward him, I smile again and thank him for letting me stay here. "Good night Edward" I softly say.

Closing my door, I lean against it and think about all the things Edward has done for me the past couple of weeks. As I sit in silence, I hear him climb the stairs to his room and a door click shut. I head toward my bag and pull out my pajamas and other things I need to get ready. I go to the bathroom and change into some grey pants with a pink top which reads "I'm not quiet" and a pair of mouse slippers. A little childish I'm sure, and not what I'd consider sexy, but comfortable and I could use a little childish after the night I've had. I brush my teeth and wash my face and then walk back to my room. I climb into bed and pull the covers up to my chin. After I switch off the lamp beside the bed, I lie there waiting for sleep to overcome me.

I roll to my right side and fluff the pillow.

Five minutes later, I roll onto my stomach and curl my hands under my chest.

Ten minutes later, I roll onto my back and squeeze my eyes shut.

Twenty minutes later, I decide I must be hungry which is why I can't sleep.

I quietly climb out of bed and by the light of the moon shining through the floor to ceiling windows I walk silently toward the kitchen. As I walk around the bar, my foot catches on the barstool and I give out a surprised shriek as I fall toward the ground. Grunting, I hit the floor and I lie stunned for a minute before I realize my elbow is throbbing. I must have hit it against the corner of the bar as I tried to catch myself. I pull myself up and realize my elbow is bleeding with a large gash on it.

"Bella?" I hear Edward call from the stairs, "Are you okay?" I hear him coming down the stairs and I sit in silence for him to find me.

He comes into the kitchen and sees me nursing my elbow. "What happened?!" he asks me, stunned at my condition.

Laughing nervously, "I couldn't sleep and I was a little hungry so I thought I'd grab something quick to eat. But I should have turned the light on. As you can see, me walking around in the dark isn't such a good idea."

He switches on the pendant lights above the bar and kneels in front of me, pulling my injured elbow from my hand. Sucking air in between his teeth he looks up at me and gives me a crooked little smile. "I couldn't sleep either. It seems this night has me wound up more than I thought. Lets get you fixed up and then we'll see what we can find to eat."

Edward tells me to sit tight and disappears into the guest bathroom. I can hear him rustling around and opening and closing cabinets. While he's gone, I quickly fluff my hair and try to look a little less flustered. When he comes back in, he's carrying a box of first aid items.

He sits on the stool next to me and has me hold my elbow up for him to examine. After gently washing the cut off with some antibacterial liquid, he puts a bandage on it. Then, surprisingly, he gives the bandage a gentle kiss. "There. That should make it all better" he says, smiling up at me.

I giggle lightly and tell him that it feels better already. "Good. Then let's get some food in you. I should have asked earlier if you were hungry or not, but honestly I was a little distracted. What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not sure… I think I'm looking for comfort food. Do you have cheese? We could make grilled cheese sandwiches."

"Actually, you're in luck. I have gruyere cheese and some white cheddar. Do you want something to drink while I make these?" I tell him that I'd like some juice and he pulls out a couple of containers: pineapple, apple, and grape juice. I go to one of the cupboards and pull out a couple plates and cups.

While Edward makes us our sandwiches, I pour us each a glass of juice, pineapple for me and grape for him. The kitchen is soon filled with a delicious smell of melting cheese and warm bread. As I wait for him to bring the food over, I'm struck by how comfortable this domestic scene feels to me; Edward moving around the kitchen while I get things ready to eat. I sip my juice and watch him finish up with the food. He plates us each a sandwich and sets one in front of me, leaning against the counter to eat his.

"This is delicious!" I exclaim after taking a couple bites. We eat the rest in silence and then he cleans up our plates and cups, putting everything in the dishwasher.

"I'm still not tired" I say to him sheepishly.

Edward laughs, "Neither am I. Do you want to watch some TV or a movie? Or, we could play a game… or…" he trails off.

"I'm down for some TV. I usually fall asleep pretty fast watching these late night shows" I answer.

We head into his theater room and I settle onto the plush couch, pulling a throw from the back of the couch onto my lap. He sits down next to me with the remote in his hand and turns on the TV. We decide on a mindless comedy and settle in to watch. It looks like it's a marathon and as we watch; we begin a game of Twenty Questions.

"What's your favorite dessert?" I ask Edward.

"Bread pudding. What's your favorite cocktail?" he replies.

"Um, a mojito probably. What's your favorite smell?" I continue.

"Lavender. Girly I know, but it's such a calming smell. What's yours?" he asks.

"Pumpkin pie. I think that's why I love chai tea lattes so much. What was your favorite toy growing up?"

"It's hard to explain but I had this rope that had a wrench on one end and a hook on the other. It came from a train set but for me it was the all-purpose toy. I used it for a whip, a belt, a weapon, a helicopter… I used it for everything. I wonder what happened to it. Where is your favorite place to be?" Edward asks me.

"Nothing beats being at home, but it's a toss up really because right here is pretty great." I respond, bumping him with my elbow. "Did you play any sports in high school?"

"Soccer. I wanted to go pro but I tore my ACL my senior year of high school and had to stop playing after that. I can show you my scars." Edward pulls his knee up to his chest and rolls his pants up. It's dim in the room so I can't see very well. "Here, you can feel it. It's a pretty big scar."

Pulling my hand over and placing my finger tips on his knee, he glides them lightly over the rough ridges on the top of his knee.

"Does it hurt?" I ask him.

"Most of the time no. But – and I'm serious – when it rains a lot, my knee starts to ache" he tells me.

Giggling I reply, "Like an old man."

"Hey!" he protests, "I'm not old. I'll get you for that!" He jumps up suddenly and starts to tickle me, kneeling on the ground in front of the couch.

Laughing uncontrollably, I try to tell him to stop but can't catch my breath. I push my foot against his chest and shove him over onto the ground. Stunned, he looks up at me in surprise.

"Let's see how much you like it!" I cry, jumping onto him and holding his arms down against his sides with my knees while I tickle him. Squirming, he tries to get loose.

Clearly I miscalculated his strength because all of the sudden his arms break free and his hands grip my hips, trying to lift me off of him. While I was tickling him, my shirt had ridden up my lower back, and his hands meet bare skin.

Gasping at the shock of sudden contact, I become still, as does Edward and I see his eyes glance down to where his fingers press into my skin. He glances back up at my face and I feel it start to burn. My lips are parted, and I realize that I'm panting with the exertion of the tickle fight. I can feel his chest rise and lower with each breath he takes and his eyes darken in the dim light.

All of the sudden, he sits up and pulls me to him. Hugging me to him, he whispers in my ear, "I know you're not mine to say this about, but I don't know what I would do if I lost you" and then his lips are on mine. Kissing me roughly, his hand slides up under my shirt and I can feel him lightly graze my back with his fingertips. I grip his shoulders and try to pull him closer.

Moaning into his mouth, I shift into a more comfortable position and weave my fingers into his messy hair. I straddle him and his hands slide down my back to grip my hips. He kisses me down my jawline to my neck, nuzzling the sensitive spot just below my ear. I sigh deeply, savoring the feel of his hot mouth on my skin. His left hand splays against the skin of my back, while the fingers on his right hand gently tangle themselves in the ends of my hair.

We continue this way for a while, until my knees feel bruised and I have to stand up to stretch out all my kinks. I slowly pull away from him, gently kissing his lips a couple of times before smiling sheepishly at him.

"Sorry, my knees are killing me," I say quietly. He laughs, placing a kiss on my forehead before sliding his hand out from under my shirt. He pushes me upward until he can slide out from under me, and then, standing, he reaches a hand toward me to help me up.

Once I'm standing, I stretch my arms over my head to get the kinks out of my back. Edward glances down to where my shirt had ridden up and my stomach is showing. He glides the tips of his fingers across the exposed skin, causing goosebumps to break out across my body, and says, "Well, I'm sufficiently turned on. What about you?"

Giggling, I reach out to him. He pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly. I tilt my head up until my lips reach the base of his throat where I can see his pulse pounding. I place a wet kiss against his pulse and he groans deep in his throat. I feel the tremors from the groan against my lips and he squeezes me tighter.

"You better be careful little one," he murmurs, "you don't know what might happen if you continue to do that." He gently pushes my head until it rests against his chest. "We should get you to bed, even though I'd like nothing more than to see where this leads…" he continues. I sigh heavily, glancing at the clock on the far wall.

It's just after 2 am so I nod and pull away. He quickly shuts off the TV and we walk together, our hands grazing each other's until we get to the main room. He walks around, turning lights off and making sure his security system is turned on. I lean against the banister at the bottom of the stairs and wait for him to finish up.

Walking up to me, he pulls me up the stairs behind him, stopping at my bedroom door. "You don't have to be alone tonight… if you don't want" he says, glancing down shyly.

I cock an eyebrow at him and smirk. "Mr. Cullen, are you propositioning me?"

Shaking his head and smiling, he replies, "As much as I'd like to say I'm that smooth, I honestly just meant that if you'd feel safer or more comfortable, you could stay in my room or I could stay in here. No funny business."

I place my index finger on my chin and feign deep concentration. "I guess that would be okay" I say hesitantly. Then, smiling, I push my shoulder into his chest and giggle. "I'm up for a sleepover if you are."

"Okay, well why don't you come stay in my room tonight? You can go grab your stuff and I'll meet you in there."

Nodding, I open the door and go into my room. Butterflies start fluttering around in my stomach and I grow slightly light headed. I sit down on the edge of the bed and try to calm down.

"Nothing you haven't done before Bella. Just relax" I tell myself quietly.

I quickly gather things up: my phone and charger, slippers, and my toothbrush. I turn off the lights and shut the door behind me.

I try not to hurry to Edward's room and force myself to take my time walking down the hall. I knock gently on his door and he opens it, smiling.

"Come in, you didn't have to knock."

I smile back and walk inside. He points out an outlet that I can plug my phone into and shows me where I can put my toothbrush and slippers. I go into the bathroom with him and together we quickly brush our teeth. I try to spit the toothpaste out as inconspicuously as possible and he just laughs.

I head back into the room and stand awkwardly at the end of the bed. "Do you have a side?" I ask Edward as he walks in after me.

"I do – the left" he responds.

Pulling back the covers on the right side, I sit gingerly on the bed. He clambers in, getting comfortable and as he sees my hesitation, he pulls me down next to him. "I promise not to bite." He reaches over and pulls the covers up to my chin, tucking them in around me. Then he settles down again and rolls over to his side to turn his lamp off. The moon is bright tonight, shining in through his large windows. It's light enough that I can see his face clearly when he lies back and folds his hands on his stomach. I turn onto my right side and study his profile a little bit.

His eyes crack open and I see him glance at me from the side, smiling lightly. "Still not tired?" he asks.

I just shake my head and smile back. He reaches over to me, sliding his arm around my shoulders and pulling me toward him to curl up against his side. I rest my head on his chest and he keeps one arm curled around me. His other hand rests on his stomach, tapping a rhythm out with his finger tips. I reach one hand up and place it against his jaw, feeling the muscles twitch lightly. Then, tilting my head up, I kiss his cheek, feeling his stubble tickle my lips.

"Thank you" I whisper into the dark. Edward's hand stills and then he reaches up, pulling my hand into his.

"You don't have to thank me. I would do anything for you; you need only ask" he says, pulling my fingers up to his mouth. Gently he kisses the tip of each one. When he gets to my thumb, he bites it teasingly. I giggle, pulling it out from between his teeth.

"I thought you said you don't bite," I scold him. He just laughs and turns onto his side so he's facing me.

"I don't bite hard. I guess I should have clarified."

Grinning, I quickly move forward and bite his shoulder. He gasps and pulls away. "No fair!"

"I don't fight fair. Haven't you figured that out by now?" I ask coyly, looking at him from beneath my lashes.

"Well neither do I" he replies. With that, he rolls over me, supporting himself by resting on his hands where they rest next to either side of my head. He leans down and I hold my breath, waiting for our lips to meet. But he stops just short of my mouth and stares into my eyes. Even in the pale moonlight, I can see his eyes smoldering into mine. I shift beneath him, well aware of the position we're in and how it will affect him. His eyes darken even more and he makes a strained noise in the back of his throat. My left hand reaches up to him and I lightly stroke his hair, feeling the longer pieces in back curl around my fingers. His eyes fall shut and I take the opportunity to press my mouth to his.

His lips move against mine and soon he shifts so his weight is on his elbows and he's pressed against me. He slides one hand down my body, stopping at my knee where he pulls it up and over his hip. I take his hand in mine and intertwine our fingers. My other hand pulls the hem of his shirt up. When it's as high as I can get it on my own, he stops, sits up, and pulls it over his head. While he does that, I sit up. Once his shirt is discarded to the floor, I let my fingers trace the planes of his chest. He reaches over and clasps my fingers in his hand and then pulls me toward him. Slowly he slides one hand around the back of my head, tilting my mouth towards his. Time feels like it's slowed down and we sit on the top of the bedding, kissing for what feels like hours. Eventually we lie down together, on our sides, and continue that way. I slide my leg up over his hip again and he pulls me impossibly close to him, crushing me to his chest. I sigh quietly into his mouth and he pulls away briefly, searching my eyes in the semi-darkness.

"Is all of this okay?" he questions. I just nod, and pull him toward me once again. His hand slides up the back of my shirt. I roll onto my back and slide it up and over my head, lifting my shoulders just long enough to discard it on the ground next to his. Underneath my shirt I'm wearing a lacy sleeping bra. He slides one strap down my shoulder, kissing the skin where it had previously been pressing. With his finger tip, he traces along the edge of my bra where my skin and material meet. I shiver and my skin breaks out in goosebumps. He smiles to himself and leaning close to my collarbone, he breathes hot breath onto my already overheated skin.

"Interesting" he murmurs, sliding his hand down my side and clutching my hip. I grip his shoulders and pull him down to me again, kissing him all over his face and neck. We continue this way throughout the night, quietly talking and connecting through our words and actions. Eventually the late hour starts to take its toll and as our kisses slow down in fervor, my eyelids begin to droop. I can see the beginning of sunrise start to lighten up his room, the orange and yellow streams of light playing their way across our bare skin. I pull away from him and yawn loudly. "I think we should probably get some rest, don't you?" he says, drawing away from me slightly.

I roll onto my back and glance over at him, stretching as I do. His hair is mussed and his lips are red and slightly swollen. He sits up, reaching over to where the blankets were pushed down to the end of the bed. Drawing them up and over us both, he clutches me to him once again. I throw my leg over his and snuggle into his chest. He lightly rubs my back, and I can feel my heart rate and breathing slow down to a normal rate. "Maybe this is cliché, but this has been one of the best nights I've had in a really long time. You are a phenomenal kisser," Edward says. I giggle quietly and he chuckles back.

"That's quite the compliment. You're not too shabby yourself," I tell him. Yawning again, I let my eyes drift close. When I'm right on the edge of sleep, with the sun peeking out over the horizon, I hear him quietly whisper, "Goodnight Bella."

I wake up several hours later, feeling groggy but with a smile on my face as I remember the amazing night I just had. My shirt is lying folded at the foot of the bed with a note on top. I pick up the note, recognizing Edwards scrawling handwriting.

_I ran to the office for a couple of hours. Help yourself to anything you want or need. I will be back by 4. Is it lame to admit that I miss you already? _

_Edward._

I carefully fold his note up and slip my shirt over my head. Sliding off the bed, I stand up and stretch. I'm still tired, but that's to be expected, given how late I was up with Edward last night. I walk into his bathroom and brush my teeth, glancing around as I do. His bathroom is large and distinctly masculine – dark, natural tile on the floor, with modern floating sinks, and a large glass enclosed shower. I smile to myself as I think about how even his décor is perfectly suited to match him. After I wash my face and pull my hair up on my head, I decide to grab something to eat and then log onto my work emails to see what needs to be done.

I walk downstairs and grab some fruit from his fridge. Biting into an apple, I glance around to see what he has to drink. After pouring myself a glass of grape juice, I sit down at the bar and finish my small breakfast. I hear my phone ping, so I rinse out my glass and run upstairs to check it out. It's a text from Alice. She asks me about my night and I quickly text her back to let her know things were much better after I left my disaster at home. She says that she wants the details as soon as possible but has to get to a work meeting. I just text her back letting her know I'll get with her this week and tell her everything. This time I mean it. After I finish up our brief conversation, I call my home insurance company to let them know what happened. The agent helping me tells me that they'll send an adjuster over tomorrow morning to assess the damage and help me get the ball rolling on my home repairs. That puts my heart at ease. The sooner I can get my house fixed up, the sooner I can put all of this behind me.

I go into Edward's office and log onto my work emails virtually. There aren't that many surprisingly. I realize that he must have routed some of them to other people in the office to help me out. I smile at that thought. He's really turned around from how he was a month or so ago. I email him to let him know I'm up and got his note. He emails me back within a couple of minutes.

_Glad you're awake. Did you sleep okay? Sorry for keeping you up. To be honest, I couldn't get enough of you. I would have gladly stayed up another 24 hours just to be able to hold you like that. Just thinking about it is making me want to bail on this meeting so I can come back to you. Look what you've done to me: you've turned me into mush. Complete mush that is helpless to resist. Not that I'm complaining. Anyway, I'm looking forward to tonight. Do me a favor? _

_Edward_

I blush and type back my response.

**I slept great. Thanks for asking. I hope you did as well. Too bad you had to get up and go into the office. I would have much rather woken up with you next to me than to an empty bed. Oh well. Sorry for turning you into mush. Hope it doesn't turn you _too_ soft. Gotta stay tough for the courtroom, right? Yes, I will do you a favor. Well, maybe it depends on what it is…**

**B**

_I hope it's not too much to ask but will you pick something out for me to wear tonight? Something that will look good with whatever you're wearing. Is this a girly thing to ask? I don't want to match, but I'd like us to look like we belong __together_. _Because there isn't anywhere I'd rather be, than right by your side. _

_Edward_

**Of course I will. It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me. Is there anything else I can help you with today (work related)? I feel like I should have come in for a little while at least to help you out. Let me know, please, if there is anything else you need.**

**B**

_Nothing. Just for you to be happy and safe and hopefully have a good time tonight. By the way, you're still planning on going with me to the orchestra this weekend right? Just wanted to solidify plans. (Please say yes… that's the thought that's currently running through my head). _

_Edward_

**Yes. I'm really excited to go. Dinner and drinks right? **

**B**

_Dinner and drinks and some fantastic music. Okay, I really need to get back to work if I'm going to be back by 4. I will try my best now to stop thinking about you, because the sooner I focus on my work here, the sooner I'll be done and on my way back to you. Sayonara bijin. _

_Edward_

**Ciao my friend.**

**B**

I finish up answering a couple more emails and then log off. The clock reads just after 2 so I decide to pick out something for Edward and then watch a movie and rest a little bit more so I'm not too tired tonight at dinner.

I go up to his room and into his massive closet. I can't believe anyone has a closet this big; it's almost as large as my entire bedroom. I run my hand along the clothes hanging up. When I get to the end of the row, I see a tray with various bottles on it. They look like cologne. I pick the nearest one up and unstop it, bringing it up to my nose and sniffing at it. It smells just like him. I smile and set it back down. Then, I turn back to where his suits are hanging up. I pull a deep navy blue suit off the rack and the walk over to where his shirts are hanging up. I grab a hanger with a light blue shirt on it. Taking both hangers, I walk into his room and set them on his bed. Then I go back into the closet to hunt for a tie. I find a drawer full of them. I select a tie with navy and light blue checks on it and set it down next to the suit and shirt I picked out. I picture the two of us together and decide that we'll look great together.

I walk downstairs to watch a movie and head into the theatre room. I curl up on the couch and turn on the TV. I don't know how to work the DVD player so I settle on one of the movie channels. There is an older movie playing that I haven't seen in a long time and I focus on that for a while.

The next thing I know, I'm being gently shaken awake. "Do you need to get ready?" Edward is whispering quietly.

I sit up groggily and wipe at my eyes. He's wearing jeans and a button up, not his usual work attire. I rub my eyes again and then take the hand he's offered me, allowing him to pull me up off the couch.

"What time is it?" I ask, glancing around to find the clock.

"Just after 6. We need to be at dinner at 7:30 so I thought I should wake you up so you could get ready. I wasn't sure how much time you needed." He shrugs his shoulder and I thank him. I head upstairs to get my things and start getting ready. He follows me into room and points out where some spare towels are. After he leaves, I pull my things out of my bag and lay them down on the bed. A floral print dress and some nude heels are what I decided on for tonight. I also transfer my wallet, lip gloss, and phone into a navy blue leather clutch (picture in profile).

I hurry and shower, washing my hair quickly so I have time to dry it before dinner. After, I wrap myself in one of the huge, fluffy towels that he probably spent way too much money on and sit down at the vanity to get ready. I smooth lotion on myself and then start on my makeup. I take more care than usual to get it right. Kitten eyes and a deep berry lipstick round out the look I'm going for. After my makeup is done, I blow dry my hair, fluffing it as I go. Once it's dry, I go into the room to get dressed while my curling iron heats up.

I slip on my bra and underwear and then slide the dress over my head. It was a splurge I got recently, after a bad day at work. It fits like a glove and makes me look long and lean. I smile at myself in the full length mirror that's leaning against the wall by the door. I go back into the bathroom and start to curl my hair. I curl big curls that will cool into loose waves. I spritz some perfume onto my neck and then at the last minute, pull the left side of my hair off my face and fasten it back with a clip. It's a slightly retro look that is offset by my more modern dress. I walk back into my bedroom and fasten a necklace around my neck with a gold flower pendant. Then I slip my earrings into my ears. I slide my feet into my heels and give myself a once over before I head out the door. I like what I see and I hope Edward does as well.

I find him downstairs, sitting on the couch with a scotch in one hand and a file in the other, reading up on a case I suppose. As he hears me step down from the last step, he turns to look at me. His mouth drops open as though he started to say something but couldn't get the words out. I smile shyly at him and ask, "What do you think?" He slowly stands up, setting the glass on the coffee table and dropping his file to the couch. Walking over to me, he just shakes his head.

"You look incredible" he says quietly. His eyes move over me twice, starting at my feet and moving slowly up to my head, and then back down again. He smiles widely. "You're going to knock these people off their feet."

I step over to him and straighten his tie, not yet secured snugly around his neck. "You clean up pretty well yourself."

Taking my hand in his, he pulls me toward him and hugs me tightly. Then he gently leans me back and places a kiss on my cheek, just at the corner of my mouth. I smile against his lips, and feel him smile back. "You smell lovely as well." He sniffs my neck like a dog and makes me laugh. "We should probably get going," he says. I nod and together we walk to the elevator to leave.

It's a short drive to the restaurant but just long enough for me to start to feel nervous. I'm not sure how I should be acting tonight. He said to think of it as a date but we're not exclusive or seriously dating; at least we haven't defined our relationship yet. I start fidgeting with the clasp on my clutch. Edward glances at me and then I see his hand reach over and rest gently on mine. "Don't be nervous."

I laugh shakily, "I'm trying not to be."

"What are you worried about?" he asks.

"I'm not sure how I should act tonight. Like your assistant? I mean, they're clients so they're going to see me around the office." I reach into my bag and pull out my tube of lip gloss and smooth some onto my lips, using the mirror in the sun visor.

"You're there as my date, not a colleague. Just be yourself and they'll like you as much as I already do." He smiles at me and squeeze my hand again. We pull up in front of the restaurant and he hands his keys to the valet. I take a deep breath and climb out of the car, steadying my nerves. As we walk into the building, he slips his fingers between mine and tells me not to worry. I look into his eyes and feel my heartbeat calm. It's then that it hits me: I've already fallen.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Before I start, I feel like I should clear up something about this story. First of all, I started writing it almost 2 years ago. A lot of my perspective has changed for the characters and where I'd like to take them. So I apologize if it feels a little… disjointed for a bit. Bear with me. Second, I've gotten some negative comments and messages about Bella and how she's been handling the situation with James (which will get a lot messier). If you've never been in the situation she's in, you really can't judge. That's all I'm going to say. Even someone who studied forensic science and has a cop for a dad can misjudge how to handle a situation. She's young, lives alone, and she's not perfect. If she was, this story wouldn't be very interesting, now would it?

Okay, with that all being said, thanks for reading and enjoy!

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

Dinner with client goes really well. It's an affluent business owner, Garrett Leafland, and his wife Kate, so it feels more like a double date than a client dinner. At first I'm nervous and can't bring myself to open my mouth and join in on the conversation. Halfway into the first course, the other couple leaves for a couple of moments to deal with some business emergency. Edward takes the opportunity to help me calm down. He places his hands on either side of my face, kissing my lips gently, and tells me that I need to relax and enjoy myself. I nod and he puts his forehead against mine. "There is no one in the world I'd rather be here with tonight than you. You are beautiful and smart and I'm glad you're here." After that, the knot in my stomach slowly comes undone and I begin to enjoy myself and the company of our two companions. There is no talk of work or files or cases and it's just an easy, fun night. We finish eating and decide to go out for a drink. Edward asks them to follow us and we end up back at the lounge we met at those few weeks ago when all of this started.

"This is a great place," Kate mentions as we walk inside. I nod in agreement. Edward directs us to the same table in the back as before.

"I'm glad you like it. It's been my side project for the last 3 years and I'm really proud of it." Edward bow his head shyly and then heads to the bar with our drink orders. I can't help it; my mouth is gaping just a little bit. I had no idea he owned this place.

"That's impressive. He's quite the force to reckon with, isn't he?" Garrett asks, sliding his arm around Kate.

"Yes, yes he is," I reply, smiling at this revelation to yet another aspect of who Edward is. I ask Kate and Garrett how they met and they spend the next hour regaling Edward and I with stories of their life together - trips, funny experiences, even a couple rough patches they went through together. I can't help but envy them a little bit. Meeting someone who can go through so much with you is more difficult than you'd think. Throughout their stories, Edward alternates between playing with the fingers of my left hand and holding me to him. We call it a night fairly early as Kate and Garrett have a plane to catch the next morning.

While Edward and Garrett shake hands and discuss their next meeting, Kate leans into me conspiratorially and says "You and Edward are lovely together. I hope we get to see you two more often." With that, she gives me a hug goodbye and the two lovebirds head off to find their car.

Edward wraps one arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze. "That went well I'd say, wouldn't you?" he asks, pulling me around to face him. Then he wraps me up in both arms and I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Yes, much better than I was expecting. They're so nice. Thanks for inviting me along" I murmur against the fabric of his suit coat. He kisses the top of my head and then slowly releases me from the confines of his embrace. "I should probably get home. I need to get things ready for the insurance adjustor to come over tomorrow morning."

He nods and we walk slowly back to where he parked his car. After we drive back to his apartment, he helps me bring my bags back down to his car and we drive to my house in companionable silence. When we pull up in front, he scowls at the plywood covering the opening where my window used to be. I laugh quietly at his expression. "I promise I'll be fine. It's just one night like this. My insurance company is great. I'm sure it'll be fixed by tomorrow afternoon." I lean over the console and give him a gentle kiss on the lips. He slides his hand around my upper arm and pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.

He breaks the kiss and smiles. "Call me if anything happens, or you get scared being alone, or you just get bored, okay?" he asks. I nod and return his smile. Climbing out of his car, I turn towards him one more time and he rolls down his window in anticipation.

"I'm going to be a little late tomorrow. Alice said she'd stay while they repaired my window but I have to be here to talk to the adjustor."

"I was expecting as much. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Just get it taken care of and I'll see you when I see you," he replies.

Saluting him, I turn and walk up the steps to my door. Unlocking it, I slip inside and wave one last time from my doorway. He waves back and I watch him drive off, taking part of my heart with him. The pain I feel in my heart at watching him drive away is almost palpable. It fills the air in my apartment with thick sadness and I distract myself by cleaning up and getting ready for the day ahead of me.

After I put my things away and make sure there aren't any spare shards of glass lying around my living room floor, I slip into some comfortable clothes - a tank top, warm cardigan, and some yoga pants (picture in profile). I pull my hair up into a messy bun and sit down at my laptop to answer some emails. The first few are just spam. I have another one from my dad so I reply, letting him know how things are going. I leave out everything having to do with James and Edward - that's a can of worms I don't want to open right now. I just don't have the energy to rehash all the gory details. Then I see a couple from Alice. One is an email with a bunch of pictures of her and Jasper at the zoo. I laugh to see the faces they make - they're so suited for each other. The other is asking how things are and to call her when I have a second.

I dial her number while I do a little online shopping. "Hey lady" she answers after a couple of rings. "Now's not such a good time... I'm sort of in the mi- idle of something." I hear her breathlessly giggle and then the noise is muffled as I hear her say something to someone.

"Wow. I get the picture. Gross. I'll let you go!" I say laughing. She laughs back and says she'll meet up with me tomorrow and then hangs up without waiting for my response. I just roll my eyes. For someone who wants to know the details of my life _so _desperately, she sure blew me off quickly. I sigh, feeling the loneliness sink in now that I don't have anything to distract me anymore. I look at the clock. It reads 10:30 so I decide to just call it a day and head to bed. I wash my face and brush my teeth, scrutinizing myself in the mirror. My lips are slightly kiss-bruised from all the past 24 hours and I smile to myself in the mirror.

I climb into bed and lean back against my pillows. I pick my phone up from where it's lying on my bedside table and finger the phone icon, debating whether or not I should call Edward. To be honest, I'm a little nervous being here alone. But I've already wasted so much of his time and I don't want him to feel like he has to come at my every beck and call. I start playing around on my phone, hoping maybe he'll call me instead. After about half an hour, I decide it's a lost cause and to not worry about it. I'm a big girl and I'll be fine here tonight alone.

I set my phone back down, making sure my alarm is set, and switch off my lamp. I shut my eyes and feel my body relax back into my mattress. As I start to drift off, I hear a loud creaking come from downstairs. My eyes fly open and I lie very still, holding my breath to wait for the sound again. Nothing happens so I relax, thinking it must have just been my imagination. A few minutes later, I hear it again. This time, I sit up, pushing my covers off myself. Quietly I slide my feet down until they touch the floor and then I crouch to pull my baseball bat from underneath my bed. Quietly I tiptoe my way downstairs, stopping every few feet to listen for the noise again. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I see where the noise is coming from. Part of the plywood is nailed in poorly and when the wind blows it, it's making the creaking noise. I breath a sigh of relief and head into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

As I drink the water, I stare out into my backyard. It's small but it's mine and I love it. With the lights off in my house, save a nightlight in the hall, I can see pretty well outside. Suddenly, I see a blur of movement near the end of my yard. It startles me and I drop my glass, splashing myself with water and breaking glass all over my floor. I curse under my breath and feel my heart pound in my chest. I'm too scared to move and in my bare feet, it's probably not very safe. Luckily I had the thought to grab my phone and slip it into my cardigan pocket on the way downstairs. I pull my phone out with shaking fingers and dial Edward's number. He picks up after just one ring.

"Hey there beautiful" he says. I can hear the smile in his voice. I try to clear my throat so my voice doesn't sound too shaky.

"Sorry for calling so late. I - um..." I hesitate to tell him why I called. I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of him some more.

"What's wrong?" he asks, sounding concerned. I hear a rustle of papers. I imagine he's sitting in bed, reading over case files.

"Well I feel kind of stupid for calling, but I heard a weird noise and when I came downstairs it turned out to be nothing. But then I was in my kitchen and I saw something move in my backyard. I dropped a glass and I'm barefoot and scared to move and... well... that's what happened." I say quickly, my words pouring out of my mouth.

"I'm coming right over. Don't move, I don't want you cutting yourself. Are you by the back door?" he asks.

"Yep." I nod.

"Okay, I'll come through your backyard so you can let me in without walking through the glass. I'll see you soon."

"Okay, see you." I respond. I continue to stare out the backdoor with the hopes I don't see anything moving again. Luckily I don't see anything again until Edward shows up. He must have been speeding because he gets to my house in record time. He's a little disheveled - his hair is messed up and it looks like he threw on the first thing he could find. He gives me a crooked little grin as I reach out and unlock the door for him.

"Your knight in shining armor is here to save you, beautiful damsel." He steps through the doorway and immediately sweeps me up into his arms, walking over to my counter and setting me down on one of the bar stools. "Where's your broom?"

I point to the cupboard where I store my cleaning supplies but start to protest that he doesn't need to clean up for me. He just shakes his head at me and says "Nonsense. I want to do this for you. As soon as this mess is cleaned up, I'll go check out your yard and make sure everything is okay."

I watch Edward as he cleans up the mess I've made, admiring the way his muscles strain underneath his shirt and the glimpses of his smooth skin when he bends down. He carefully puts all the shards of glass in a paper sack to throw away and then wipes up the water with some paper towels. "Okay, I'm going out back. I'll let you know if I find anything weird. If I do, we might want to call the police," he says, flipping a switch to turn on my outside lights and walking out the door.

I slap my forehead with my palm. Why didn't I just turn the lights on earlier? Then I wouldn't have had to call Edward to come save me, yet again. I pace the kitchen, waiting for him to come back inside. A few minutes later, he comes in, his hair wind tossed and his cheeks a little pink from the cold wind.

"I didn't see anyone out there and it didn't look like anyone had been back there tonight. Maybe it was a dog or something? Anyway, I made sure your gate was latched and locked. No one is getting back in here tonight. Do you want me to stay?" He holds my hand gently and brushes a stray piece of hair back from my forehead.

"No... well I do but I don't" I say, smiling up at him.

He laughs. "I get it. Don't worry. I'll sleep on the couch. I brought stuff over just in case."

"If you're sure it's okay with you..." I trail off. He nods.

"Let me go get my bag."

While he goes out to his car, I pick up a pillow and some spare blankets and make a little bed on the couch for him. He's tall, so I'm worried he'll just be uncomfortable because my couch is a little short.

When he comes back in, I'm facing the couch and biting my thumbnail, debating if I should just have him sleep with me. I'm worried about letting anything happen, knowing I have to be up early for work. Also, I want things to slow down a little bit. They're moving too fast for me right now. I glance back at him and say, "I'm worried you're too tall for my couch."

"Is this your way of getting me into your bed?" he winks and smiles that crooked smile at me. Butterflies assault my stomach and I can't help but grin back.

"The thought _had_ crossed my mind. Plus, I'm dressed to kill." With that comment, I slip my cardigan off one shoulder, showing my bare skin to him and winking. Then I laugh at his expression. His eyes look like saucers; they get so wide.

He reaches over and pulls my cardigan back up, patting my shoulder where it was once exposed. "Let's just keep that in there." I scowl at him and he grins wide. "Don't worry. I'm interested. I'm totally interested. But there will be plenty of time for that later, when it's the right time." With that, he takes my hand and pulls me up the stairs.

"You're room is up here right?" he asks. I laugh and nod, keeping up with his fast pace. When we reach the landing, he stops suddenly, spins me around, and presses me up against the wall. My heart is already racing from our fast climb up the stairs but now I can't catch my breath. Edward leans in close, bending down to press his lips against my cheek. His mouth moves to mine. I hear his bag fall to the ground and then his arms are around me. Moving my head to his shoulder, I sigh against his neck and he squeezes me even tighter. "Let's go to bed."

I nod, smelling his skin and rubbing my cheek against his soft sweater. He pulls away and reaches down to pick up his bag, then heads down the hall into my bedroom, towing me with him. Just as we reach the doorway I reach out and switch the hall light off. Once we're in the dim light of my room, I straighten up the bed, fixing the blankets that I pushed to the floor in my panic earlier. He wanders around, touching pieces of jewelry, looking at various photographs I have, and smelling my perfume. He makes no effort to hide his fascination at some of the small things that make me into me.

Edward picks up a frame holding a picture of my parents. "You look like your dad," he says.

"Yeah? I look cranky and have a moustache?" I ask him, walking over to where he stands and bumping him with my hip. He just shakes his head. Putting the frame back down, he traces my cheekbones with his thumbs.

"You have the same shape face. You have those dark eyes and this beautiful spot, right here, underneath your eye." Leaning down, he kisses the mole on my cheek. My eyes flutter close and I lean against him, feeling the heat from his body seep into mine. We stand this way for a long while. I listen to his steady breaths and can feel his heart pound underneath my hand when slide it up onto his chest.

Groaning quietly, he draws away. "We really do need to get some rest. I hate to break this up but I do have a meeting to get to early tomorrow morning."

"You can pick a side," I say, motioning to the bed. "I usually just sleep in the middle of the bed."

He holds up his pajamas and motions to the bathroom door, indicating that he's going to change. Once he leaves the room, I slip my cardigan off my shoulders and leave it hanging on the end of my bed. Climbing up onto the mattress and under the covers, I snuggle into my pillow and wait for Edward to come out of the bathroom. A few moments later, he emerges wearing a thin tank top and some baggy flannel pants that hang off his hips. His face glistens lightly with the remnants of water from washing it and he scratches the back of his head lightly as he walks toward the opposite side of the bed.

"I thought I got to pick my side," he teases. I quickly jump out of bed and sweep my arm toward it.

"Take your pick."

He sits down, scooting over to where I am and pulls me down to the bed with him. "Just get in bed," he says, laughing. I lie back against the pillows once again and pull the blankets over the two of us. We both sit in bed for a moment, the quiet of the night flooding my bedroom. I slide down until I'm lying on my back, my head sinking into the pillows. The motion causes my tank to slide up my torso and Edward traces the small spattering of moles I have on my stomach as if it's a connect the dots puzzle. I set my hand on his, stilling the motion of his fingers. "That tickles," I whisper, afraid to speak too loud.

He reaches a hand out and leans over me. Holding my breath, I wait for what's to come and then he simply switches my lamp off. Then, as he draws back to his side, he gently leans down and kisses me, clasping my hand in his. "Goodnight beautiful girl," he whispers against my lips. "Sleep well." Kissing me one last time, he lies back, pulling me with him to curl up onto his side. Content in his arms, sleep comes upon me quickly but morning comes much too soon.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Lucky you! Another chapter! Sorry for the shorter last chapter. I wanted to get another one posted in good faith. I will keep going through this next semester. Hopefully I can make some headway into this story. Thanks for reading guys!

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

The next day, Edward heads out early, waking me up as he leaves. After I meet with the adjustor, he assures me that the window will be fixed by evening. Alice comes over and waits for the repairmen to get to my house. When I get into the office, I see that Edward is with a client so I sit down and just get to work. The next few days go by just as quickly and before I know it, it's Friday evening and I'm getting ready for the symphony with Edward.

Alice offers to come do my hair for me, but I decline. I think I can handle it this time around. I do my hair in a low loose bun. Then I do a kitten's eye with my eyeliner and put a deep berry lipstick on. I put some black tights on and then slip my dress over my head. It fits perfectly, with a low v-neck and back and a flared skirt. I put my things in a little clutch and search for the perfect jewelry to wear and my patent leather black pumps. The only jewelry I have that seems to work with this dress is a pair of rhinestone earrings that look like flowers. They have a vintage charm to them. (picture in profile)

I head downstairs to wait for Edward. The doorbell rings and I hurry and open it up. He's standing on my top step looking like a million bucks. I don't know how he always looks this good. It's ridiculous really. Not that I'm complaining.

He gives me a kiss on my cheek and pulls his left hand from behind his back. In it is a black leather box. "This is for you, you lovely creature." I smile and blush, carefully taking the box from his hand. I lift the lid and in it is a beautiful brushed gold bangle with a sprinkling of diamonds on the top.

I gasp, "It's beautiful! But I can't accept it. This is too much!"

He just shakes his head and plucks it off the velvet lining. Taking my right hand in his, he slips it over my hand and onto my wrist. It looks incredible with my dress and I can't help but twist my wrist in the light, making the stones glitter. "I want you to have this. Then, when you wear it, you'll think of me," he continues. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's go," I say, picking my clutch up from where it rests on the table near my door. I lock up and we walk down the stairs hand in hand to where his car sits out front. He opens my door for me, helping me in. Then he walks around and gets in, starting the engine. He tells me what restaurant he picked out. It's a posh restaurant with a great reputation. I've never eaten there before; I felt like it was too romantic and expensive to go by myself or just with friends. I'm excited to try it out.

"After the symphony, can we go to your bar?" I ask him. His head snaps towards me.

"Are you sure? It's not the most… romantic spot in the city."

"Yep, I really like it there. Plus, you can get us a cozy little table in back." I say winking at him.

After a delicious dinner, we head over to the fine arts center where the symphony plays. It's a beautiful old building with ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and plush red velvet seats. Edward has a box so we get a little bit of privacy. I can't help but stare at all the finery around me - ladies in evening gowns with diamonds practically dripping off them and men in their tuxes and shiny shoes. I feel a little self-conscious wearing my short cocktail dress but then I remember how much Edward liked it and I shake away those feelings of doubt. Plus, he's only dressed up in a 3-piece suit. Granted, it probably cost more than one of my paychecks, but it goes well with my dress. I think Edward can tell how nervous I am, because he reaches out and takes my hand. Before the concert starts, we go to get some champagne from the bar downstairs. As we sip our drinks, various people come up and talk with Edward. He makes it a point to introduce me as his date, never once mentioning that I work with him.

Everyone I meet seems very nice, save one set of couples. The women are very beautiful; tall with expertly done hair and makeup. The men are both holding glasses of whisky and it doesn't appear that it's their first, as they keep laughing way too loud for the nice setting we're in and making crude jokes.

"Bella, this is Lauren Mallory and Meg Price. These two are Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie. I went to college with Mike. The others I know through a couple of charitable organizations," Edward says, pointing each one out to me. He looks at me pointedly when introducing Lauren and I nod my head briefly in understanding.

I shake hands with each of them. When I get to Lauren, Edward places his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, kissing my temple. She scowls at the two of us and grips my hand tighter than should be possible for a girl so slender. I just smile at her in return and tell her it's great to meet her. Once I extract my hand from her grip, Edward instantly snatches it up.

"It's been good seeing you, but it's really time for us to get back to our seats." He nods at the guys and smiles tightly at Lauren. We head back to his box and sit down, listening to the sounds of the musicians warming up and tuning their instruments. "Can I confess something?" he whispers in my ear. I smile and nod. "This is one of my favorite sounds in the world," he continues, pointing to the orchestra. I close my eyes and let the sound of the audience fade away, and focus instead on the sounds he loves so much.

Soon the music starts and we fall silent along with the rest of the audience. I sit on the edge of my seat, afraid to move or speak for the fear that I'll break the spell the music has me under. Edward snakes his hand underneath my arm and clasps my right hand in his left. Squeezing it gently, it shakes me from the trance I'm under. I turn toward him and smile. Carefully, he reaches out and wipes underneath my eyes. I'm surprised to notice that I'm crying lightly. My cheeks flame up and he just kisses the tracks that they've made along my cheekbones. Then leaning back into my chair with his hand around mine, I let myself get immersed in the music once again.

After the final note plays and the audience has long since left the theatre, I sit quietly letting the waves of emotion roll over me. I can't believe I've missed out on this my whole life. Edward slowly pulls me to my feet, hugging me tightly. I laugh softly. He pulls away, looking at me questioningly. "I am just glad I got to experience this with you. It was amazing. I... there are no words for how I feel right now."

He nods and places a kiss against my temple, hugging me to him one more time. After a long quiet embrace, we part. I feel a sense of loss once the heat from his body is removed from mine. We walk out to the car quietly, both of us deep in thought. "You sure you still want to go out for drinks?" he asks me as he holds my door open.

"Of course I do," I reply, smiling. We make our way to the bar, talking about the music we just heard and laughing about Lauren's terrible reaction to seeing the two of us together. We pull up out front and someone comes to park Edward's car. We walk hand in hand into the building and to the back corner where a table is waiting for us behind a frosted glass partition. I sit down on a low banquette and place my clutch on the chair next to me.

"What would you like to drink?" he asks. I tell him my drink order and he mentions bringing back something to snack on as well. While I wait for him to come back, I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text to Rose and Alice letting them know how amazing this night has been so far.

_Get some slut! You know you wanna tap that... - R_

_**I hope you plan on kissing and telling - A**_

I just laugh at their responses and put my phone away. I have to give them some juicy details or they'll never leave me alone about the night. Edward comes back with our drinks in hand and a promise of a sweet treat to come.

"So I was wondering if you'd be interested in seeing a concert of my choosing next weekend. Phoenix is playing. Do you know Phoenix?" I ask him, then take a swallow of my drink.

"I love Phoenix. _Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix _is one of my top albums ever. I'd love to go with you." Just then, a waiter stops by holding a tray with five different desserts on it: creme brulee, a decadent looking flourless chocolate cake, some chocolate covered strawberries, some bread pudding, and a couple of scoops of ice cream. He blushes lightly and shrugs when I gape at him, surprised at the abundance of treats. "I wasn't sure what to get. Not to blow my own horn but everything here is delicious. We have one of the best pastry chefs in the city."

"Well we'll just have to try some of each then." I say, laughing. He's right; every single dessert is delicious and I eat more than I probably should. By the end of the night, I'm stuffed with dessert and my stomach hurts from laughing at the stories Edward has been telling me. We've also managed to shut down the bar, which I guess doesn't matter because Edward owns it. As we head out the door, he apologizes to the remaining staff. They all just laugh and tease him as we go.

"They're as bad as my parents. I never bring girls here so they will tease me endlessly for this." He rolls his eyes as we go, smiling lightly. We walk hand in hand to where his car is waiting at the curb. As he drives me back to my apartment, he asks me if I'd like to go to Sunday brunch at his parent's. I'm a little surprised but do want to go so I agree to it. "I'll pick you up in the morning and we can drive over together. My mom has been asking about you ever since the charity we went to together," he says, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles.

"Well I know how she feels. I don't think I've stopped thinking about you since that weekend either," I say without thinking. I blush fiercely and clench my hands together in my lap. He just laughs and pulls my hand back into his.

"I feel the same way. I think about you all the time, even when it's not the best time to let my mind wander." He kisses my knuckles and then turns my hand over, nuzzling my wrist. Inhaling deeply, he sighs. "I love the smell of your perfume. After you slept on my bed, it smelled like you for weeks."

"Do you want to come in?" I blurt out. He smiles and kisses my pulse point but shakes his head.

"No. I should get home and let you get to bed. I've gotta look over some files before I go to sleep tonight so I don't have to worry about them tomorrow. I'll pick you up around 11?"

"Okay, sounds good." I reply. He opens his door and jogs over to my side of the car, opening my door up for me. I climb out and smile when I see his eyes linger on my legs. I clear my throat. He looks up sheepishly and I smirk. "Like what you see?" I ask him.

Edward walks me up to my door, leaning in close and placing one hand on the side of my head. He slowly lowers his mouth toward mine, brushing his lips against my mouth softly. It's enough to ignite my skin and I grab his lapels, pulling him in greedily. He gasps in surprise as I kiss him as hard as I can. I fumble for the door handle, trying to get it unlocked with one hand but not let go of him either. He smiles against my lips, pulling away long enough to insert my key into the lock and open the door. Then we stumble together through my doorway and into my living room.

I pull his tie loose from his neck and kick my shoes off, throwing my clutch down on the small table by my door. He walks me backwards toward my couch, unbuttoning his vest and pulling it and his jacket from his shoulders. He lays me back gently against the couch and runs an unsteady hand from where it cups my cheek to the deep v of my dress. I feel goosebumps break out across my skin where it becomes overheated at his touch and then cold again when his fingers continue on their journey. Kneeling above me, he slides one hand down to my knee and pulls it up around his hip. He slips my tights down my legs and flings them to God knows where. Then, he presses his hips against me, excruciatingly slowly. I gasp at the sensation he's creating in me.

Just then, my eyes fly open in the bright light of morning. I sit up warily in my own bed, confused for a moment at what I'm seeing. I'm alone in bed and from the quiet around me, in my house as well. I realize that what happened just now was a dream and I groan loudly as I throw myself back against the pillow. As I wipe the haze of sleep from my eyes I think back to the night before. We only got as far as my door before Edward left like the gentleman he is. I went upstairs in a giddy daze and went straight to bed after getting undressed. I see my dress lying crumpled on the floor where I dropped it after taking it off. In fact the only thing I have left on my body from last night before my underwear is the bangle Edward gave me. I examine it, smiling as I watch it twinkle in the sunlight.

I stretch and look at the clock. I have about an hour before Edward is due to pick me up so I climb out of bed and quickly shower. I blow dry my hair and then put it in a loose fishtail braid. After, I dress in a pair of jeans and a coral polka dot shirt (pic in profile). I throw some flats on and gather up my phone and wallet, throwing it into my purse. By the time I'm done with my makeup, it's about time for Edward to pick me up so I head downstairs. He gets to my house just after 11 and saunters up to my door. I open it before he has the chance to knock and throw my arms around his neck.

He laughs and picks me up, squeezing me until I squeak. "Are you ready?" he asks, setting me back on my feet. I nod and turn around to lock the door. Edward pushes my braid to the side and gently kisses the back of my neck. I shiver lightly and feel heat rush up my back into my hairline.

Taking my hand in his, he leads me down to where his car is idling by the curb. We climb inside and start the drive to his parents house. "I'm warning you ahead of time so you don't get nervous but my mom is _really_ excited to see you. I've never brought a girl to brunch before, so this is a big deal to her."

I just giggle lightly and squeeze his hand in mine. "Don't worry about me. Parents love me. I just hope I don't embarrass you."

"You? Never!" he says, giving me a big grin. On the way, we talk about going to the Phoenix concert together.

"This time I want to take you out," I say to him. "The concert is outside so I was thinking we could have a little picnic?"

"I'd love that. I haven't had a picnic in years. Well, I guess unless you count our little sushi lunch date a few weeks ago," he replies, giving me a sly grin.

"That was hardly a date! I didn't even know you at the time!" I say, laughing.

Soon we pull up in front of a large, modern home. More of a mansion really. It's all windows and wood, with steel beams supporting balconies and verandas. Beautiful and lush landscaping surround the house and as we walk up the stone pathway to the front door, I can't help but start to feel a little intimidated. I came from the smallest little town in the United States, where I lived in a dinky two bedroom rambler. Nothing even close to this beautiful house in front of me. I start to fidget with the handle of my bag and Edward glances down at me. He pulls my fingers off the handle and clasps my left hand in his right, stilling my nervous fingers.

"Hey..." he says softly, stopping me just before we reach the door. He slips a finger under my chin and gently tilts my face up so he can see me. "Don't hide those pretty eyes. My parents already love you. What are you worried about?"

I bite my lip and look up at him. He gives me a little smile and squeezes my hand. "I'm just nervous. It's always nerve wracking meeting the parents... even if this is my second time," I reply. He just shakes his head and kisses me on the forehead, pulling me into his arms for a moment.

"Look, if it gets to be too much, just send me a quick text message and I'll make an excuse to get us out of there, okay?" I nod and smile back at him. He lets me go but keeps my hand in his and opens the door.

It opens to a large foyer that's filled with natural light from the windows. There is a small sitting area to the left and the right becomes a wide hallway with black and white portraits lining it. It's light and airy but feels warm too. There are exposed beams on the ceilings and the floors are a dark wood with rugs placed sporadically throughout.

"Mom?" Edward calls out, pulling me forward into the room. He takes my bag and sets it on a small table near the door, the slips his shoes off. I follow suit. We walk through the hallway, and I glance at the pictures as we go. They're of Edward and his parents at various times in their lives. I smile at one in particular of him in a baseball uniform, with a glove on his hand. He's smiling broadly at the camera and has several teeth missing. He looks about 7 years old.

"You were a cute kid," I tell him, pointing to the picture. He blushes a little and shrugs. As we continue through the hall, Edward calls out for his mom again. I see her head poke around the corner with a big grin on her face.

Walking out to us she says, "Edward! I'm so glad you two are here. Come on in. Bella, you are so welcome!" She takes my hand and pulls me into the kitchen with her. The island is covered in plates and platters of food.

"Is all of this for us?" I ask, amazed at how much food she made this morning.

Esme laughs sheepishly and says, "Edward has never brought a girl home and I couldn't seem to stop myself from celebrating a little."

Edward shakes his head and blushes again. I can't help it. I poke him in the ribs and ask him if he's feeling a little warm.

"Only when you're around, my dear," he whispers in my ear, causing me to be the one to blush. Esme just watches the two of us with a small smile on her face.

"Let me go get your father," she says, walking out of the kitchen to another area of the house I haven't yet seen. I walk toward a large bank of windows behind the sink and look out at the backyard. It's gigantic with a pool, a hot tub, and more beautiful landscaping. In the far left corner I see a small building; it looks like a miniature version of the house.

"That's the guest house. If you'd like, I'll take you on a tour of the house and grounds after we eat," Edward offers.

"I'd love that. Is the house the you grew up in?" I ask.

"Not exactly. I - well I was adopted when I was six. Until then, I lived in foster homes. My biological father died when I was a baby and my mother wasn't well enough to take care of me. I was one of the lucky ones who was adopted."

My mouth falls open at this admission. I never imagined that he was adopted or had such a sad childhood. My heart goes out to him and at the same time, swells with happiness that he was adopted into such a loving home.

"What are you talking about such a sad story for on this lovely day?" I hear Carlisle say as he comes strolling into the kitchen, with his arm around Esme.

"I hadn't told Bella that story yet. She was asking about where I grew up so I figured I might as well get it out there in the open. How are you dad?" Edward asks, giving Carlisle a hug.

Esme reaches over to me, holding my hand in hers as we watch the two interact. Carlisle seems to be teasing him about something and Edward just gives it right back. She quietly says, "We miss him sometimes. Carlisle more than me, if you can believe it. Edward gets so busy with work that he doesn't have time to visit us as much as we'd like. I'm so glad he found someone like you who can help ground him; help remind him that work isn't the only important thing in his life."

Smiling I say, "Well I'm the lucky one. He's such a wonderful man. I'm just glad he hasn't gotten sick of me yet with all the drama following me around."

"Oh my. I did hear about what happened to you. Vandalized right? Nasty business. I'm glad you're alright. If you ever need somewhere to stay, you're welcome to the guest house. I hope you know that."

"Thank you Esme, that's very kind of you."

"I'm starving!" Edward says loudly, walking over to me and pulling me to his side. "Let's get this show on the road."

Esme just rolls her eyes at me. "We don't stand on ceremony here Bella. Help yourself to anything you want or need. Plates are over here and drinks are in the dining room."

With that, we're let loose to gather our food and pick our spots on at the dining table. Edward stays close behind, pointing out his favorite foods and occasionally brushing his lips against my temple. I feel a little self conscious at first with his parents watching us, but eventually relax. They have a way of making me feel right at home. We take our plates into the next room and sit down. Edward fixes me a mimosa and a bloody Mary for himself and settles in next to me to eat. Everything is amazing and I tell Esme as much when she makes her way into the room.

"Thank you. I love cooking. It feels good to create something, even if it does end up eaten in less than fifteen minutes," she says, glaring at Edward who just shrugs in response.

"What? Your food is too good to stop eating. I can't help it."

As if to prove his point, he shovels a large forkful of roasted potatoes in his mouth. I laugh at this family bonding. It's nice to see a normal family like mine, who just gets along and loves each other. As we eat, Esme and Carlisle ask me about my family and where I grew up. When we get to my college years, they ask the all too familiar question: why forensic science?

By now, we've all eaten our fill and are just picking at the food left on our plates. Edward looks at me inquisitively and echoes the question. "I always wondered the same thing."  
I take a deep breath and slowly let it out. I guess now is as good a time as any, especially with Edward sharing such a personal part of himself with me. "Well, I don't know if it's good table conversation."

"Well if you'd rather not share, we don't want to pressure you," Esme says, reaching across the table to pat my hand.

"Oh no, I don't mind telling. It's just a little... off-putting I guess. When I was in high-school, I was, um... well I was raped. They never caught the guy who did it and I guess this was just my way of moving forward. I want to help those who need the same help I once did. My dad was chief of police and it broke him to have an open, and eventually cold, case dealing with his own daughter. I didn't want to be a cop, so I went into forensics instead." I realize that I've been staring at my plate this entire time and the room is deathly silent. I chance a peek at Edward. He's looking at me with such a sad expression on his face, I can hardly stand it. This is why I hate telling people about what happened to me. They get all weird and quiet and don't know what to say to me. I glance at Esme and Carlisle. He's watching Edward and Esme is wiping tears off her cheeks with a napkin. "I'm okay now, I promise. I mean, it's been years and I went to counseling and I'm fine. It doesn't even phase me. I think it makes other people more uncomfortable than me. It's just something that happened to me," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

Edward stands up suddenly and pulls me toward him, holding me tightly. "I'm sorry that anything like that ever happened to you. I will never let anything like that happen again."

I just laugh and push him away. "I promise, I'm fine. Thank you though. I will admit, I feel safer with you than I do on my own."

Esme also stands up and walks around the table, pulling Edward and myself into her arms for a big hug. "You two are so sweet together. Bella, I'm so sorry for what happened. You're a wonderful girl and it's obvious that this has made you into a stronger person. I'm proud of you for taking such a negative thing and turning it into a positive."

Carlisle nods from where he sits. "I'm not sure what to say that hasn't already been said, but you're an amazing young lady. Edward couldn't have found a better girl."

I smile at him over Esme's shoulder. "Thank you. Both of you. You raised Edward into such a great guy and he's helped me in more ways than he knows."

The tension in the room seems to dissipate then, and the three of us separate and laugh lightly. "Come on," Edward says, taking my hand. "I'll take you on a tour."

Esme starts clearing the plates. I protest until she says, "Nonsense. You two go and explore. I'll put Carlisle to work here."  
We walk quietly through the house and he shows me where his high school bedroom is, along with a beautiful library and study. He points out Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, and a couple of guest bedrooms. Then he takes me down to the basement where they have a beautiful theatre, not much different from Edward's. Eventually we make our way to the backyard. He rolls his jeans up and sits down on the pool's edge, letting his feet dangle in the water. I sit next to him, feeling the cool water lap at my ankles.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks quietly.

I give him a mock dirty look. "Yes, I promise."

"I just want to make sure. I never want you to feel pressured into anything and I don't want you to feel unsafe around me. If you ever do, please tell me."

I elbow him and say, "Okay, I will. But it's unlikely. I have next to no episodes now. Luckily my parents got me help quickly, so I could start the healing process as soon as possible. And I had a fantastic counselor who knew just how to help me. I'm doing better every day."

He pulls me into his side and gives me a noogie. "Okay, whatever you say!"

Laughing and squirming to pull away, suddenly I find myself off balance on the ledge. I start to fall toward the water, so I grab Edward's arm and pull him in with me. Gasping at the cold water, I quickly break the surface and look around for him.

"I can't believe you did that!" he calls out to me, walking through the water with a menacing look on his face. I try to swim out of his grasp but my wet jeans weigh me down. He grabs me quickly and holds me against his chest so I can't move. He pushes the wet tendrils of hair from off my face and gently presses his lips against mine. I sigh against his mouth, enjoying the feeling of his wet lips against mine. Eventually I feel the cold start to seep into my skin and I can't stop a shiver from running through me. Pulling away slowly, he says, "We should get you out of those wet clothes," and then winks.

I blush and nod, still shivering. He helps me out of the pool, but instead of walking to the house, he directs me to the guest house.

"Don't worry, this is all part of my plan," he says, smiling at my confusion. "Well, really, I was supposed to get you into the water, not the other way around."

I'm just getting more and more confused as we walk but finally we make it to the guest house. Inside is a roaring fire and candles everywhere. A huge TV fills one of the walls and there is a stack of DVDs sitting next to it. In front of that is what I can only describe as a nest of pillows and blankets, all laid out for us to snuggle in.

"Okay, disclaimer. I wanted to spend a nice relaxed night with you but I told my parents we'd come over. So I had Alice pack you something comfy to change into and I thought we could just spend the night. No funny business," he finishes off using my own phrase against me, and holds his two fingers up in the Scout sign. He reaches behind the couch and pulls out a bag, then hands it to me. "Bathroom's over there. I'm going to go back to the house and grab my things and change. Then I'll meet you back in here."

I just watch him leave, amazed at all of this. He totally teamed up with Alice against me. I smile and walk into the bathroom, bag in hand. When I look at my reflection, I am a little horrified - my hair is stringy and knotted from our impromptu swim and I have mascara running down my cheeks. "Nice," I mutter to myself. I decide to just rinse the chlorine out of my hair, so I strip my wet clothes off and turn the shower on. After I wash my face, I climb in, quickly rinsing my hair and skin down. I turn off the water and listen quietly for any sign Edward has returned. It doesn't sound like it yet.

I open the bag Alice packed and frown at what I see. She packed a skimpy pair of shorts for me, and a little tank top. Luckily she also packed a pair of over the knee socks and a cozy cardigan to cover up with. And underwear. I wouldn't put it past her to try and go commando for the evening. I hurry and dry off and slip the clothes on, trying to pull the shorts a little lower on my legs so they're not so exposed. Then I brush through my wet hair and pull it into a messy bun. I see that she also packed a pair of slippers at the bottom of the bag so I slip those on for good measure. (picture in profile) I still feel too exposed, so I hurry and run into the living room and throw a blanket over my lap and wrap the cardigan around my torso.

Not too long after, Edward shows up, his hair damp as well and wearing a pair of sweatpants and a soft t-shirt. "What are you doing hiding way over there? I made this cozy bed just for us," he teases.

"I will kill Alice," is all I can bear to say.

"Why?" he asks, alarmed at my reaction.

"Just... she's not very considerate sometimes."

He laughs. "What? Your clothes don't fit or something? Let me see!"

I just shake my head at him and frown deeper. "No way."

"Aw come on. I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

I keep shaking my head.

"Are you sure?" he asks, walking toward me.

"Yep. Absolutely sure. I won't move from this spot until morning. Or until my jeans are dry. Either one." I grimace at the thought of staying here all night.

Finally Edward jogs over to me, pulling me up off the chair before I have the chance to move. I try and grasp the blanket but he yanks it from my hands and throws it onto the couch. "Let's see what the fuss is all about." I blush and try to cover my legs with the cardigan. His eyes slowly travel from the top of my head down to my exposed legs. It's there that they stop and his mouth drops open slightly. Then he whistles low. "Those are some nice legs you've got there, pretty girl."

I bat his hands away from where they rest on my shoulder. "Okay you've seen mine, now show me yours," I jokingly quip.

Without hesitation, Edward reaches down and pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the chair behind me. Then he lies down on the little nest he made and puts his arms behind his head, relaxing as if he doesn't have a care in the world. It's like he's just inviting me to take advantage of his position. Swallowing thickly at the sight in front of me, I realize this is going to be a very long night. 


	12. Chapter 12

AN - AUGH! I was re-reading the last couple of chapters and I totally messed up my days. So much for continuity... We'll just pretend that Edward invited Bella over for brunch on Saturday, not Sunday. Because they wouldn't be having an oh-so-adorable sleepover on a Sunday night. That's just irresponsible. Also, the whole rape thing? I know it's a little dark. But I think it adds some depth to an otherwise two-dimensional character. I mean really this girl hadn't experienced any sort of hardship (that you knew of) until now. And that helps explain why she's so messed up when trying to deal with the whole James situation (which is going to pick up here in the next chapter or two). Thanks, guys, for sticking around... most of you leave the nicest reviews and comments and it just makes my day!

Oh and for those of you wondering what "Sayonara bijin" from Edward's emails in chapter 9 means (sorry I didn't translate it!), it means "goodbye beautiful girl" in Japanese.

*Here's a little _**lemon-y**_ goodness for you. I couldn't help myself.*

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

I quickly shut my mouth and then putting on an air of (very fake) confidence, I saunter over to where Edward relaxes, throwing myself down onto the cushions and smiling brightly at him. He simply raises an eyebrow at me and smirks.

"What did you have planned?" I ask, turning on my side and snuggling into the warm blankets. The top layer is a soft faux fur blanket and I rub my cheek against it appreciatively.

"Well, we can play some games, watch a movie, or talk... or whatever you'd like."

"Let's start with a couple drinks, shall we?" I wink and stand up, stretching so my thin tank top rides up and shows off my stomach. I glance down at him out of the corner of my eye and see his mouth fall open. He reaches his hand up, grazing my skin lightly and goosebumps break out. My stomach tenses up because it tickles just a little bit and I slowly walk backward, away from his outreached hand. He frowns at me and I just laugh.

When I reach the bar, I ask him what he'd like.

"I think you know the answer to that."

I roll my eyes and grab a bottle of scotch from the shelf above me. As I pour it into a glass for him, he stands up, slipping his shirt back over his head. I groan quietly and he laughs. "Don't worry, you're not missing much." I pour myself a Coke and rum and take both glasses over to where Edward stands, looking out the window at the backyard. A storm seems to be rolling in with the dark clouds filling the sky.

"Good thing I got my window fixed" I say quietly. No sooner do the words leave my lips than fat drops of rain start pummeling the glass in front of us. I just roll my eyes at the sky and take a big swig of my drink. "Looks like we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

He grins and rubs his hands together, laughing like a villain in a cartoon. "This is working out exactly how I planned."  
I walk over to the next, pulling the fur blanket from the floor and wrapping myself up in it before plopping down in front of the fireplace. I stretch my legs out in front of me, feeling my knees pop. I straighten my spine and feel each vertebrae pop back into place. Edward looks at me with wide eyes. "I've never heard a girl pop that much."

"Want me to pop your back?" I ask him, cracking my knuckles as I do.

"No way. I don't do that to my body."

"Don't judge." I tease, rubbing my neck.

"Here, let me do that" he says, walking over and setting his glass down on the hearth before settling behind me with his legs on either side of mine. "Oh wait. Hold that thought" he says, standing up again before walking over to a stereo on the opposite wall. He pulls his iPod from his pajama pants pocket and sets it in the dock, scrolling quickly through his music until he seems satisfied with what he's settled on. A quiet song fills the room and he smiles to himself. Once he's back in place behind me, he sets his warm hands on my shoulders, gently rubbing them. I feel the pressure release the knots that feel like they never go away. I sigh and sink against him.

"What is this?" I ask him, tilting my head to the side so he can rub my neck. His fingers leave my skin and his lips replace them temporarily. I can't breath for a moment until his hand is back in place.

"It's a band called Air. Do you like it?"

I nod and hum positively. Slipping his fingers beneath the fabric of my cardigan, he pulls it from my shoulders, discarding it somewhere behind us. He continues to work the knots out of my back and shoulders and I can feel the tension leaving my body. We sit quietly, listening to the sound of the rain mix with the music that's playing softly in the background. After a little while his hands still on my shoulders and then pull me against him. Kissing my head gently, his fingers glide up and down my bare arms. My eyes start to go heavy; between the heat of the fire and comfort of his arms around me, I could stay here forever.

"You falling asleep?" Edward says, nudging me gently.

"Nope." I reply, sitting up and turning towards him.

Laughing, he stands up, pulling me with him. "We gotta wake you up! I should get you all wet again."

I feel my eyes widen. I know that he doesn't mean it the way it sounds but I can't help the way it makes me feel. He realizes what he said and starts to backpeddle. "That's not wha - I mean - not that I'm not interested in you in _that _way but..." he trails off. I give him a little smile before I pull away, leaning down to the hearth to pick up my glass. I take a deep drink and gaze out at the gray sky. I can't deny that his little slip up has woken something up inside of me. I want to be with him tonight and it takes every ounce of self control not to launch myself at him. _Let's just take this slow _I think to myself. Heh. Yeah right. My body is screaming at me to take advantage of this night but I want Edward to be the one to make that move.

Edward clears his throat. "So... what should we do? I mean, I'm perfectly content to sit here with you quietly. But I don't want you to get bored."

"Hmm..." I say, tilting my head to the side to look at him inquisitively. "How about we play a game?"

"Okay." He takes my hand and leads me over to a closet. "Here's what we have. I don't know how to play most of these, but I'm sure we can figure them out."

I snatch a pack of face cards from the shelf and slip them out of their box. It's a brand new deck and I shuffle them quickly, looking at him with my eyebrow cocked. "You up for a game of high stakes poker?" I ask.

"I don't know if you want to bet against me in poker my friend. I have won high stake games before. I'm a lawyer, so I'm awfully good at reading people."

I turn away from him and saunter over to the nest, sitting down and stretching my right leg out in front of me and leaning against the couch. "Put your money where your mouth is Cullen." I continue to shuffle the deck, waiting for him to come sit down.

"Okay. You asked for it. But we need to get set up here first." He leans down and grabs some poker chips from another shelf. After placing it near me, he walks over to the bar and pours us a few more drinks, placing them and a couple of bowls of nuts and chips on a tray. Then he set that on the couch next to us. Last, he snatches my cardigan off the couch where it's lying on the arm rest. "Put this on. We'll have a $10 buy in. After that, it gets real."

I take it from his hand and slip it on over my shoulders. "Ha. You think I'm worried? I just can't wait to see what color underwear you have on."

"Are you sure I'm wearing any?" he asks, winking suggestively at me as he sits down. My face heats up as an image of him sans underwear flashes in my mind. He pulls a pair of socks on once he's seated. I hand him the deck of cards and he deals us each hand. "Texas Hold 'Em okay?"

I nod, glancing at my cards.

"Before we start, a couple of rules. Aces and eights wild. Green chips are worth a quarter, red are worth 50 cents, and white are worth $1. Whoever loses their money first has to start taking clothes off. Also, if you want to trade in a card, you have to take something off. Obviously, same rules apply to me. Last, whoever wins gets an unconditional favor from the other person, to be redeemed within the next 24 hours. Deal?"

"Of course. Like I said, not worried," I reply. I have an Ace and a Queen. I put out my bet of 50 cents. Edward matches the bet and deals 3 cards. There's a Jack, a seven, and a ten. Not exactly ideal but I decide to bluff my way through this hand and up my bet to a dollar. I place another red chip in the pot.

Smiling at me serenely, Edward slides a white chip onto his stack. "I'll call your raise and make one of my own."

I simply slip another red chip onto my pile and give him a sly smile of my own. He deals another card and I cheer inside. Another Queen. I raise a whopping $2. Edward matches the bet before slipping the last card from the deck. I smile at what it reveals. It's another Queen. I slap my cards down and he does the same. All he has is a ten and three. He frowns at the cards.

"Are you sure you shuffled this deck?" he asks.

I scoff at him. "You watched me do it dude. I did it perfectly." I gather up the chips and smirk.

"Yeah, perfectly so you could win," he grumbles.

"Oh, are you going to be a sore loser?" I tease. "If it would make you feel better, I can always give you something to make up for it."

"Like what?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe a kiss or something?" I lean over the cards and chips towards him. Raising one hand, he gently slips his hand around the back of my neck and pulls my mouth against his. As we kiss, his hand slides down to the top of my tank top and he glides his fingers along the very top peak of my breasts. I shiver at his touch and pull away. "That's enough of that. Let's get back to the game." I clear my throat.

Suffice it to say, I'm way too distracted to play as well the next few hands. Before I know it, I'm out of money and losing. But Edward couldn't make it more fun. We're laughing and flirting and it feels good to know that I have this power over him. I can get him flustered with just a look or a smile. It's the same on his end. I groan as he lies the final card down. My hand sucks again.

"Ok miss. You know the rules. Take it off."

"What?" I ask. "You mean these?" I pull my feet out from underneath me and wiggle them at him. Then I kick my slippers off.

"Well that hardly counts," he frowns. I laugh and pull my socks off as well.

"Technically, that was _four_ items."

The next hand goes better for me. Edward just moves the chips out of the way when he loses and takes his own socks off. "I'm just leveling the playing field a little."

"Okay, whatever you say."

I lose with the next round and take the chance to distract Edward by turning my back to him, kneeling up on my knees, and very, very, slowly sliding the cardigan from my shoulders, glancing at him over my shoulder as I do. Then I take my hair from the bun it was in and let it down, slowly running my fingers through it. He stares at me, a smile frozen on his face. "What?" I ask innocently.

He shakes his head as if to clear his thoughts and gathers up the cards, ready to deal the next hand. I try, but lose again, this time deciding to lose my tank top. I'm less self conscious about my upper body than I am my lower body. Edward gestures at me to get on with it. Groaning, I slip my fingers underneath the hem of my top, ready to pull it over my head.

"Wait!" he calls. I freeze. Without a word, he crawls over to me and pulls my hands over my head. Then he slowly pulls my tank top off me, grazing my skin with the backs of his knuckles as he does. The tension in the room becomes palpable and I can't tear my eyes away from his. I slowly lick my lips and he watches my mouth, mirroring my actions. After my top is all the way off, he smooths my hair away from my face and leans down to me, stopping just a hairs breadth away from my mouth. "I like where this game is heading," he whispers, his lips just barely touching mine as they move. Then he pulls away, bringing my tank top with him. He sets it down on the floor next to where he's sitting and deals the next hand.

This time, luck is on my side and Edward is the one to lose his shirt (har har). I'm too nervous at this point to pull a move like the one he pulled on me, so I just watch unashamedly while he pulls it off, laughing when he does a little dance like a stripper would. Once he's sitting down again, the tension comes back, more than ever, and I realize that we've slowly moved closer to each other with each hand.

The next round plays through. Throwing down my cards, I smile, knowing for sure I've won. But then Edward lays down his own hand - a royal flush. In all the games I've ever played, I've NEVER seen someone get a royal flush. "You have _got_ be kidding me" I mutter. Standing up, I quickly slide my shorts down my legs, blushing fiercely at being so undressed around Edward. When I sit down, I grab a blanket and throw it over my lap. Edward sits still as a statue, watching me with a curious look on his face.

Suddenly he pushes me down, kissing me hungrily. I'm vaguely aware of the pile of chips that are digging into my back so I shift, trying to move them out from under me. He pulls me up slightly, shoving them to the side and then pushes me back down. I can't get enough of his mouth on my skin. He pulls the blanket out from between us, sliding it around his back so it's covering us both, and he leans into me.

"You have to level the playing field," I whisper through his kisses. He stops for a moment and looks at me in confusion. In answer, I slip my hand between us, and tug his pajama pants down. Understanding lights his eyes and he helps me pull them down, until he's clad in his boxer briefs to match my own state of undress. I pull one leg up and around his hip, pulling him impossibly closer to me.

He groans into my mouth. "You're incredible." His kisses slow down and become sweeter and more passionate. Slipping his hand up my side, he reaches underneath my lacy bra and rubs my breast with his palm. I gasp at the sensation. He pulls it up and I arch my back so he can slip it out from under me. Once it's off, he rolls over, pulling me on top of him. I straddle his hips, feeling his arousal beneath me. He cups my breasts, rolling them lightly in his hands.

I lean down and kiss his neck, smelling his distinct smell. Then I slide my hands down his body to the top of his boxers. Tugging at the waistband a little, I look at him for approval for what I'm doing. He helps me pull them down his legs.

"Now it's your turn to level the playing field." He rolls me back onto my back, and pulls my own panties down my legs. I shiver lightly once I'm completely naked. He looks at me and kisses me gently. "Are you sure this is okay?" he asks.

I pull him down to me and kiss him, trying to convey all the passion I feel for him in this kiss. He seems to get the idea because the next thing I know, we're moving together. He hasn't entered me yet, but is rubbing against me in such a delicious way that I almost come undone from just that. His mouth finds its way down my chest and he licks each nipple before taking one between his lips. His hand slips between my legs and he rubs a finger against me, before slowly slipping it inside. I feel my toes curl and I shove my hands into his hair, pulling his mouth against me tightly. He curls his fingers just so, and I'm shattering into a million pieces. I bite my lip to keep from crying out.

The next thing I know, Edward moves between my legs and slides inside of me. I haven't yet come down from my high and the feeling of him inside of me while I'm still riding this out is almost more than I can bear. I squeeze my eyes shut and he rocks against me. Hoarsely he whispers, "Let me hear you baby." With that, I let my lip out from my teeth and moan deeply. I wrap my legs around his waist and try to pull him in closer. I open my eyes just in time to see him close his own eyes and gasp "Oh god."

That pushes me over the edge again and I grip the blankets beneath me as I feel him come to climax. He roughly kisses me as he comes and then says my name over and over again, as he quietly kisses my neck and face. I breath deeply, trying to catch my breath. "Wow."

Smiling, he pulls back and nods in agreement. "That was... wow. There are no words." He pulls away and lays back, pulling me with him to curl against his side. I push my hair from my face and smile. No other first time could beat _that_ first time. I wonder why it took so long to get here.

"I'll be right back. I um, have to clean up," he says, before standing up and tucking the blanket around me. "Don't go anywhere."

I admire his sexy form as he walks toward the bathroom, sitting up to watch him leave. I pull the blanket around my shoulders and lean against the pillows sitting next to the couch. When he comes back a few minutes later, he has a glass of water for me and hands it to me. Then he pulls the blanket away from my skin and snuggles in with me. As I sip the water, he watches me, tracing the left over blush on my skin.

"I love how the skin on your shoulders and chest gets so flushed." He kisses it lightly, then licks my shoulder. I laugh. "Should we watch something? The night is young, yet."

Setting my glass down, I answer, "Sure. Let's watch something funny." He grabs his pants and slips them on, sans underwear. "Trying to give me easy access?" I ask, pulling them down slightly so I can see the curve of his hip bones.

"Of course. That's why I intend for you to stay naked." Edward walks over to the pile of DVDs stacked near the TV. Before he reads the titles to me, he turns around with a concerned look on his face. "Was this too soon?" he asks.

"No. Not at all. I mean, if I wasn't ready, I would have told you. It was wonderful. It was the perfect first time." I answer honestly, smiling at him. I stand up and walk over to him, giving him a tight hug. "Don't even worry. This was so amazing."

He hugs me back. "Okay. Maybe I'm a romantic, but I pictured our first time being in a beautiful hotel room or something, not on the floor of my parents guest house. I was just worried this ruined it for you."

I laugh. "God Edward, you're such a girl," I say, pulling back and giving him a teasing smile. He just turns me back to the couch with a smile of his own, spanking me lightly as I walk away.

"Okay, here's what we've got." He reads off the titles and I pick a comedy that I haven't seen yet but heard good things about. He slips it into the DVD player and starts it up. While the trailers play, I munch on some chips from the tray he brought over for our poker game. The movie starts and we sit quietly, watching it and laughing loudly at the antics on the screen. Halfway through or so, I feel my eyelids start to droop and I find myself leaning against Edward for support. He pulls me down against him and makes sure the blanket is secure around us. Stroking my hair, we continue watching the movie until I eventually fall asleep.

I wake up a couple of hours later, still naked but wrapped in the furry blanket I love. The fire is still going and there are a couple of candles lit, but the rest of the lights are out. I'm alone on the floor, so I stand up and stretch. After using the bathroom, I try to find Edward. The rain is still going just as strong, and I don't find him in the bedroom or the living room. I notice a door near the bar and I head that way, opening the door to find a small office. He's inside, talking quietly to someone on his cell phone. He doesn't notice me so I stand in the doorway, wrapped in the blanket and watch him.

Finally he turns towards me and smiles, holding up a finger to tell me he'll just be a little longer. I just nod and turn to leave. As I start to walk away, his arm pulls me back toward him. While he speaks rapidly into the phone about a deposition, he uses the small pauses to kiss my shoulders and neck. I sigh quietly, enjoying this position we're in. Finally, he finishes up his call and hangs up the phone, setting it on the desk

"Sorry about that. A client of mine went overseas and didn't think about the time difference. I wouldn't have normally taken a call like that but you were out like a light, so I figured it was as good a time as any," he says, steering me back to the living room. "Let's get you back to bed."

Snuggling back into his arms, I feel so happy that my heart might burst. "Goodnight Edward," I say quietly.

He kisses the back of my neck. "Goodnight Bella" he says back. Together we fall asleep again to the sound of the rain on the windows and the fire crackling in the fireplace. Any dreams I had I don't remember. It doesn't matter though, because there is no way a dream could possibly be better than the reality I'm living in right now. 


	13. Chapter 13

20

Augh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I've become one of those writers that I hate! I promise update after update and keep pushing them back... I am SO thankful for those who have stuck with me and written me such nice reviews. For anyone new, have faith in me. I swear, this story will keep going, as long as I have a brain in my head.

**_**Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just borrowing the characters to fulfill my own little fantasy****_

I wake up to the sunlight streaming across my skin and Edward's arms around my waist. I smile to myself as I remember the night we had together. Turning in his arms, I snuggle against his chest and shut my eyes, letting myself drift off again. I'm woken a couple hours later to soft kisses being pressed against my shoulder. "Wake up beautiful" Edward whispers against my cheek. I smile and turn my face back so I can kiss him.

"What time is it?" I ask, sitting up and shaking out my messy hair, stretching my back as I do.

"It's about 10. You hungry?"

I nod emphatically. "Starved. Should we get some breakfast?"

Edward hums his agreement and stands up, twisting his torso until his back pops. Then he turns around and helps me up. As I stand, the blanket starts to slip from where I had it wrapped around me. I blush and quickly grab at it, pulling it back into place.

Smiling, he tugs it out of my grip and tosses it to the floor, then pulls me close to him. "I like it better there, on the floor."

I wrap my arms around him and stand up on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his mouth. Pulling away, I glance at the mess we left behind - half full glasses, snacks spilled from their bowls, and the cards and chips from our abandoned poker game are lying scattered around the floor near the couch. I move to where my clothes are piled on the ground, picking up the tank top and shorts and slipping them on. I hear Edward groan quietly when I bend down. Smirking, I turn toward him and see him staring at me, unashamed at being caught. When I start picking up blankets and other bits of our mess, he hurries over to me, grabbing my wrist.

"Don't worry about it. My parent's house cleaner comes Mondays and will take care of the mess," he says, shaking his head when I start to protest. "Really. If you keep cleaning, I'll leave you behind."

"Ok, well let me go change." I slip out of his grasp and into the bathroom, where my jeans from yesterday are draped on a towel rack. I take my shorts off and put my jeans on. Then, putting my bra back on I decide to just wear the tank top and cardigan. After a night of rain, it's going to be a cool day. When I look in the mirror, I'm a little horrified. My hair is a mess because it air dried and looks a little ratty. Quickly, I finger comb it as best I can and then braid it. Rubbing my thumb underneath my eyes to wipe away any last remnants of mascara, I shrug. "That's as good as it's gonna get." I look in the medicine cabinet and find a tube of toothpaste, but no toothbrush so I squeeze a little on my finger and do the best I can with that. I slip the moccassins Alice sent onto my feet and shove everything else into the bag.

"I'm ready" I say as I walk out of the bathroom.

Edward is lounging on the couch, his phone in hand as he checks emails. When he glances my way, his eyes get a little wider. "I don't know how it's possible, but you look even more beautiful this morning." He kisses my cheek lightly and steals the duffle bag from my hand. "I'll carry this. My mom will murder me if she sees you carrying it out instead of me."

At the mention of his mom, I remember that we're in their guest house and my face heats up in embarrassment. Clapping my hands over my face, I mumble, "They're going to know. They already know. This is just awesome."

Edward laughs and pulls my hands away. "Look, we're adults. If they still think I'm a pure, young virgin, they're kidding themselves. Besides, I really like you, and I think you really like me back. So it was bound to happen eventually." Swinging his arm around my shoulder he continues, "My parents won't say anything, I promise. In fact, I bet they'll be lying low as to not cause any undue embarrassment. We probably won't see them at all."

I rub my cheeks, willing my blush to go away and follow his lead through the massive yard in a light drizzle back to the main house. True to his word, the house seems empty of life, so we hurry through to the garage where his car is parked. He opens my door for me before walking to the back and depositing my bag in the trunk. Once he climbs into the drivers seat, he plugs his phone into his iPod dock and tells me I can be DJ. I scroll through the albums he has saved and find one I'm particularly fond of.

"In Rainbows is one of my favorite albums of all time," I tell him, listening to the opening track play quietly. The drive is quiet and I am lulled to sleep by the sound of the wheels against the wet ground and the windshield wipers. I wake as the car slows down and am confused at where we are. Edward is pulling into the underground parking garage at his apartment building.

"I thought I could make you some breakfast. Is that okay with you? Or we can go somewhere, if you had something else in mind." He looks adorably shy, as his cheekbones color and he glances at me, unsure of my answer. Smiling I tell him that would be great and my heart flips in my chest at the answering grin he gives me. After he gets out of the car, he jogs quickly to my side and pulls my door open. "I stocked up for once, hoping you'd say yes. This is all part of my plan."

We walk toward the elevator and go up to his apartment in silence. It's not awkward but halfway up it becomes obvious that there is desire for more than food between us. Taking a deep breath, I count to 100, trying to calm myself down a little so I don't maul Edward when we reach his floor. Once we reach our destination, we walk into his entryway and he directs me to the couch. "You just hang out there and I'll make something tasty."

I kneel on the couch, leaning against the back so I can watch him work. While he pulls out bowls and ingredients, I ask him what made him decide to become a lawyer.

He pauses and sets the mixing bowl and spoon that he was using on the counter, leaning against it thoughtfully. "I... well it was always kind of in the cards for me, with my dad being partner in this firm. I remember coming to the office when I was younger and watching him work. I'd pretend to take calls and write memos, so it just made sense. Then, when I was older, I really liked the idea of helping make sure justice was served but served fairly. I was going to try to get into the district attorney's office after I graduated, but my dad really wanted me here. I couldn't let him down. As the only child, it's hard to say no. But you know that, don't you?"

"I do, all too well. But I guess I got off a little lucky. My dad never wanted me to be a cop, like him. He thought it was too dangerous. He was pretty proud of me for going into forensics though. It was a sort of middle ground. Anyway, my mom wanted me to be a yoga instructor, so..." I wave my hand vaguely around, trying to indicate my distaste at that career. "Nothing wrong with it, but it's so not me. I mean, I'm the least graceful person on the planet." I turn around briefly to kick my shoes off, before stretching out on the couch, lying my head along the back. It's so soft and comfortable that I sink into it and doze off again before I wake to Edward tracing my lips with his fingertip.

"I made omelettes," he whispers, pressing his lips to mine briefly before pulling me off the couch. I yawn and stretch as I follow him to the table. It's set with plates and a couple of glasses. There is an assortment of juices and drinks, plus some fresh fruit cut up in a bowl.

"Yum!" I say, rubbing my stomach. "I'm hungry. This looks great."

"I hope it's okay. Goat cheese, spinach, and mushrooms? You're not allergic to any of that are you?" he asks as he pulls my chair out and helps me get seated. I shake my head, picking up the napkin sitting by my plate and placing it on my lap.

"It smells incredible. Thank you!" I pick up my fork and take a bite. It is like heaven. After I inhale half of it, I scoop some fruit onto my plate. Stabbing a strawberry, I pop it in my mouth and can't help the little squeal of delight from coming out. It's so sweet, it tastes like candy. "This breakfast is so good. You have outdone yourself."

Edward finishes his mouthful of food and takes a drink of juice. "I'm glad you like it. I was worried to really cook for you. I do it so rarely." He reaches over and grazes my knuckles with his fingertips before he continues eating.

We finish the meal in relative silence, every once in a while sparking up random bits of conversation. After the food is gone, I catch Edward yawning over and over again so I tell him to lie down while I clean up. He already put the dishes he used to prepare the food in the dishwasher, so there's not much for me to do. Once everything is put away, I walk back to the couch where Edward is snoring quietly. My cat nap has woken me up, so I leave him be and wander into his study where I know his bookshelves are. I scan the titles on the book spines until one catches my interest. Plopping down in the big, plush armchair, I lean back and start to read, getting absorbed in the book after a few pages.

I'm so absorbed in the story, in fact, that I don't hear Edward come into the room a few of hours later. I move to shift into a more comfortable position and the book falls from my lap. After picking it up, I glance toward the doorway to see Edward leaning against the door jamb, smiling at me. "Why didn't you wake me?" he asks, walking over to me to glance at the book I'm reading.

I hold it up so he can see the cover. "You looked so comfortable. I just couldn't do it. Besides, I've kept myself occupied."

"No snooping around? You had the apartment to yourself. You could have ransacked my closet or desk by now." He tugs at the end of my braid. I giggle.

"Well now that I know I have your permission..."

Edward scoops me up from the chair and throws me over his shoulder. Laughing he jogs from the study back into the living room. "Look miss. You'd better behave!" He falls back onto the couch and pulls me with him onto his lap. Turning, I straddle his lap and kiss him. He responds just how I want him to and wraps his arms around me, while we make out. He reaches up, pulling my cardigan from my shoulders. I sigh against his neck where I'm kissing it gently and he leans his head down to press a kiss against my right shoulder.

"I really should get going," I whisper, while simultaneously tugging his shirt up his torso. He pulls away long enough for me to pull his shirt over his head. Smiling at me, he does the same with my flimsy tank top. Tossing it somewhere behind him, he pulls me down and kisses me until I forget my name. Soon our jeans join our shirts on the floor somewhere near the stairs. He has me breathless when suddenly a booming voice snaps our attention back to the present.

"Hey bro! I'm here for our rematch. I brought beer. The good kind, since you're such a cheap ass. How about - WOAH! Woah, I am _so_ sorry. I -" While I'm cringing behind my hands in embarrassment, I hear whoever it is bumping into furniture and walls. I glance up to see the room empty and hear the stranger muttering to himself. Edward looks furious and apologetic at the same time.

"It's Emmett. I forgot he was coming over tonight. We have this monthly guys night and he's been dying to have a rematch game on NBA 2K13." As he talks, he moves around, picking up our clothes and handing mine to me. I hurriedly get dressed.

"No, you're fine. Maybe we should have just gone to your room. Hopefully you don't have surprise visitors in there." I wink at him, trying to mask my embarrassment. He pulls his shirt on before grabbing me quickly and hugging me, kissing my head gently.

"We'll continue this in a bit." He stalks toward the entryway, where Emmett must be hiding out. I hear furious murmuring before Emmett cries out.

"Not cool dude. You didn't have to hit me," he says loudly. I can't help it. This situation is too much and I start laughing loudly. Following the sound of their voices, I make my way around the corner and interrupt their argument.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I totally crashed your boys night," I try to apologize, but Emmett and Edward both shake their heads at me.

"No. I just cockblocked both of you. I didn't even think to call. Eddie rarely has people over, especially beautiful girls like yourself." Edward punches Emmett in the shoulder at this comment and he winces. "Well it's true!"

"Look, I should be getting home anyway. I need to get ready for the week and have some errands I need to run. I'll just catch a cab." I quickly give Edward a kiss and then Emmett pulls me into his arms and gives me a big bear hug.

"Don't be a stranger gorgeous," he says. I squirm in his arms and laugh.

"Okay, but maybe you should be next time." I wink at him and he just laughs back at me and tries to give me a noogie. I dodge out of his reach and pick up my bag. Edward protests my leaving and when I insist, he tries to tell me he'll drive me home.

"No, it's really okay for me to grab a cab. You guys have fun. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I give Edward another kiss goodbye and get into the waiting elevator. As the doors close, I hear the two of them arguing again and I bust into a fit of giggles over it. Of all the people to catch us about to have sex, Emmett is the best one. At least he's a joker so won't make it too uncomfortable. Once I get down to the street, I quickly get a cab and head home.

When I get home I have a message on my phone from Edward.

_I've never been so disappointed in my life. I want to make this up to you. This week? Let me know when you get home. xx_

I quickly text him back to let him know I'm home and then pick up around my apartment, making sure it's neat for the week. The less I have to worry about, the more time I can spend with Edward.

The next morning I wake earlier than normal and get ready. It's supposed to be a fairly cool day so I dress a little warmer than normal in a skirt and blouse with some thick plum tights. (Pic in profile) I catch a cab to work but have them drop me off a couple of blocks away. It's a beautiful morning so I walk the short distance to Starbucks to pick up our coffees. I remember how much he liked blueberry muffins, and I'm tempted to buy one for him here, but then I realize I walk right by a small local bakery and decide to try my luck there.

While I'm walking to the bakery, I start getting a really weird feeling, like someone is following me. I know it sounds crazy, and when I look around no one is there, but as I walk down the street, it gets stronger and stronger. I quickly duck into the bakery and try to look casual as I look out the window to see if anyone stands out to me. I can't tell if anyone or everyone looks suspect to me.

"Miss?" Startled, I realize the cashier is talking to me.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm a space case today."

She smiles at me. "What can I get you?"

I point to a couple muffins and then decide to pick something up for Jasper, so I ask for a breakfast bun baked with cheese and bacon. After I pay, she stops me. "Are you okay?" she asks. "You just seemed really freaked out when you came in here."

I laugh nervously. "Yeah. I was just being paranoid. I'm fine. Thank you!" I quickly pick up my bag and walk the rest of the way to work. Luckily, only the remnants of the creepy feeling remain as I make my way. Once I'm in the building they disappear completely. I take the elevator upstairs and quickly to Jasper's office. He's on the phone, but waves me in. I set the bun on his desk and he smiles gratefully at me. Holding up a finger to tell me to wait, he wraps up his call.

"Thank you! I am starving this morning. I had a late night with Alice and didn't have time to eat before I left her apartment." He takes a bite and then another. "This is delicious."

"I got it at that little bakery just down on Waterman. I'll have to try it if it's that good. Well I better get to work. I'll talk to you later." I wave as I walk out of his office and towards my desk.

Edward is leaning against my desk expectantly. His eyebrows are furrowed and he seems relieved to see me. I quickly hand him his coffee and muffin and ask what's wrong.

"There was a break-in over the weekend. We have security going over the footage right now, but so far it doesn't look too promising. We're not sure how he - well we're assuming it's a he - got in, or had access to this floor, but no one seems to think he took anything. As far as the security cameras caught, he only went through your things and my office. No files are missing but it's pretty messy in there."

I glance around him and see through his office window that his desk is in disarray and the shelves which are normally kept so neat are a mess. Files and law books are scattered everywhere and there is a huge crack in the window, as if someone threw something at it forcefully. Looking at my desk, it's just as bad. The thing that upsets me most is a picture of my parents and I at my college graduation. It's torn in two, and the half with me in it is missing. I pick it up and I look at Edward fearfully. "Do you suspect anyone?"

"No, not that I can think of. I mean, we have enemies as a law firm, sure. But no one that would target you by any means. Why would they? Although you have high level access, anything confidential they could be looking for would be in my office, or the file rooms. Can you think of anything weird or out of the ordinary that has been going on lately? Anything at all?" He looks at me intently, as if willing my secret out of me. I decide to come clean.

"Well, do you remember when my window was broken? I think it was James. I have no way of proving it, but after you helped me when he attacked me, I got a bouquet at my house. It didn't have a signature on the card, but it sounded like him. Just some of the wording. Also, I felt really weird this morning on my way to work. Like someone was watching me or following me. I'm not sure..." I shiver inadvertently.

"You think the window had something to do with James? Why didn't you tell me before? I have people who could be looking into it." Edward seems angry. I flinch a little at the tone of his voice. At my reaction, he pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath. "I'm not mad at you, I promise. I'm just worried. You are so important to me, and to the other people in your life - your parents, your friends. I - I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you." At that, he pulls me into a hug, not caring who sees us together.

I hear a throat clear behind us. "Excuse me Mr. Cullen, but I have some more information for you." It's Matthew, one of the head security guards for the building. I nod to Edward, letting him know it's fine to leave me. While he goes to talk to the guard, I start to pick up the mess on my desk. A bunch of papers are torn up, so I just gather them up and try to piece them together. Most are salvageable, at least enough that I can identify them and pull copies from the file room. I make a list of what I need to replace as I go through them. Then I start putting my personal belongings back in place. I don't have much, but as I start to put things back in their drawers, I realize that a small bottle of perfume is missing. Also, a charm necklace I left behind by accident a couple of weeks ago is gone. I write a separate list of what's missing, in case Edward or security need it. The mess isn't too big, and I make fairly quick work of it.

By the time Edward is done talking to Matthew, I'm pretty much straightened out and I tell him as much. I hand him my list. "These are some personal items missing from my desk. Sounds like James, right?"

"This is perfect. I hate to ask this of you, but would you help me get my office in order?" He bites at his thumb nail, something I've never seen him do. He seems completely out of his element. I place my hand over his and squeeze it lightly.

"Are you going to be okay?" I whisper.

He pulls my hand up to his mouth and kisses it gently. "As long as you're okay, I'm okay. I just need you to be okay."

"Come on. Let's get you sorted out." I walk into his office and take inventory of what we need to do. A janitor is on his way up, so we'll be able to use his things to clean up the glass and small papers on the ground. When I walk around to the front of his desk, I see that his computer monitor is shattered as well and smeared with black paint. I take a deep breath, willing my heartbeat to slow and calm down. Edward picks up his phone from where it lies on its side on the ground and calls Jasper.

"Yes, so you've heard?" he says into the receiver. "I'm sorry to dump this on you, but would you mind taking on my meetings and cases today. There isn't much on my plate right now, but I need to deal with all of this. Yes. Hm-hmm. Okay. Thanks buddy. Yep, we'll see you then. Thanks again."

Once he hangs up he joins me where I'm kneeling on the floor. In silence we sort through the files that are all over the place. After several minutes of silence, he breaks it. "I'm very lucky I have such a thorough assistant who makes several copies of every document." He smiles at me and strokes my wrist with his fingers.

Blushing, I look down at what I'm doing. "Well, that OCD tendency came from a desire not to disappoint my very attractive boss." I realize that I'm not sure what we've sifted through so far and quickly get up and walk to my desk. I grab a couple legal pads and pens. Before I head back, I take a long drink of coffee and then walk back into Edward's office. He's sitting very still, staring into space. He seems sad and pensive. I set my coffee down on the small table near the door and kneel next to him. Reaching my hand toward him, I rub his shoulder and ask, "Are you okay?"

He starts, as if he's forgotten I was there at all. Smiling, he replies, "Yeah. I'm just... I'm not sure exactly. I know I should be worried for the firm, that our clients will be worried and concerned. But all I can think is how worried I am about you."

I cup his face in my hands. "You don't have to worry about me. I don't worry about me, not while you're here. My dad was a cop. He taught me well." Pressing a kiss to his forehead, I sit back down, and continue going through the files, taking notes as I do. After a couple of hours, we've cleaned up the files and books. The janitor has picked up the small shards of glass that have fallen from the office window and IT has replaced his monitor. I am tidying up Edward's desk, while he flips through a client's file on the couch, trying to play catch up. I glance at the clock and realize it's about lunch time.

"You want to get something to eat? You didn't eat your muffin." He nods, accepting my hand. I pull him off the couch and we walk hand in hand toward the bank of elevators.

We walk to a sandwich shop a half a block away. He asks what I want and has me find a table while he orders. I sit, staring out the window while I wait for him. Suddenly I see an unwelcome but familiar blonde head moving through the mid-afternoon crowds. I stand up, ready to bolt after James when suddenly Edward's hand is on my lower back.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." He looks in the direction I'm staring.

"I... I thought I saw James. I must be going crazy." I shake my head and sit back down, my heart racing. Edward puts the bottles of water he's holding in his other hand down on the table. Walking quickly outside, he heads right, scanning the crowd as he walks. Soon he disappears from my sight and after a few moments he walks back the other way. A couple of minutes of pure tension later, he makes his way back into the shop.

"I didn't see him, but that doesn't mean you didn't. What was he doing?" He opens one of the bottles and hands it to me.

I take a big drink and then respond. "He wasn't really doing anything. He was looking in the window for a second. Then when he saw me looking, he turned and started walking away. I was going to follow him but then you showed up. When I looked back I couldn't find him anymore." The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I tap my foot nervously against the table leg. "Do you think it was really him? I guess I couldn't tell very well, but it sure seemed like him."

"I trust your eyes and your gut reaction to whoever it was. Even if it wasn't James, they were obviously up to no good. Otherwise you wouldn't have reacted that way."

Edward's name is called then, so he walks to the counter to pick up our order. We quickly eat our sandwiches. I talk about random topics, mostly to myself, as Edward eats and scans the outside intently, looking for anything suspicious happening. Lunch is uneventful, luckily, and we head back to the office. Edward is quiet - unusually so - and I realize that he's still on the lookout.

"Relax," I tell him, pulling his arm around my waist. "We can't let him run our lives. If it was him - and who really knows - we just need to be aware of what's going on and smart about what we're doing."

He stops as we get to the elevator. "I need to talk to security. I'm going to make sure someone is watching our office at all times. Also, you have someone drive you to and from work normally, right?"

I nod. "Yeah, Sam. He's really great. Trustworthy."

"I know Sam. I trust him. But I want him to walk you to and from the door, so if something is wrong, he'll be with you. No more hailing cabs for you."

I roll my eyes. I know inside that this is all for my protection until we find out what's going on, but it's starting to frustrate me how much it's taking over my life. "Yes sir." I salute Edward.

He sends me up in the elevator with a kiss and promises to see me soon. I wander into Jasper's office, eager to get his take on what's going on. He's not busy, just working at his computer, so I knock quietly and let myself in. "You have a sec to talk?" I ask.

"Yep. What's up?" he replies, leaning back in his chair.

"Edward told you what happened. And you know what happened at the club a few weeks ago right? Do you think James had anything to do with this?" I sit on the edge of the couch, waiting for his answer.

Jasper's not the type to just throw out an answer. He sits thoughtfully for a minute, rubbing his jaw with his thumb. "Well I'm sure you noticed that James and Edward knew each other."

I nod, not sure where he's going with this. "Yeah..." I trail off. Suddenly I remember his vague explanation of how he came to rescue me from James at the club. "He did say that wasn't the first time he rescued someone from James before. But he didn't tell me more than that. What exactly is going on?"

Shaking his head at me, Jasper steeples his fingers underneath his chin, leaning against his fingertips. "I'm really sorry; that's not my story to tell. You should talk to Edward. Get it out of him. But I'll tell you this - if James is behind this, you need to be very careful. He is dangerous and has no boundaries. Nothing is beyond his reach, in his mind. Edward will do what he can for you, but you should think about going to the police with what you have."

I nod my head. "Well when my window got smashed, I gave them James's information. I wasn't sure if it would lead to anything. I'm sure he's been keeping his tracks covered. But I'll call the detective anyway and let him know about this. Thanks for talking with me Jasper. I appreciate it."

He smiles and just as I'm about to walk out the door he stops me. "Before I forget, Alice has a fashion show next week. She wants you and Edward to come with myself, Rosalie, and Emmett. It's Wednesday night at 8 pm. She said she'll call you tonight to give you more details, but wanted me to run it by you. You in?"

"Of course. I'll call Alice tonight and talk to her about it. Thanks for the heads up." I head back to my desk. Edward still isn't back, so I start answering the emails I've put off all day. There's a lot to keep me busy and before I know it, my day has flown by.

The next few days are much of the same. Edward is often out of his office, meeting with his clients that he had to reschedule or looking into the breakin. One bright spot on Wednesday is that he replaces my bottle of perfume with one I like even better. It's a French perfume that I can't pronounce the name of, but it smells divine. I Google it on my lunch break and find out that a single bottle costs over $200 and has to be imported from France. I'm tempted to give it back, but I know how he'd react so I keep it in my purse at all times.

By the time Friday rolls around, I'm exhausted but excited for our date tomorrow. Edward is nowhere to be found at the end of the day, so I log myself out and head home. On the way home, I get a phone call from Rosalie.

"Hey girl! Want to go out tonight? It's been one of those weeks," she says, sounding dejected.

"What's the matter?" I ask, rubbing my ankle where my shoe made a little sore spot. I frown at the offensive shoe - it's nearly brand new and I love them but I can tell they're not going to love me back.

"I don't really know," she says, her voice getting small and quiet. "Everything was going so well with Emmett, and now he's just... not there." She stops and I can hear her breathing quietly on the other end.

"Rose, you okay?" I ask, worried for her. Rose is the strong one in our friendship, the one who doesn't let anything get to her. Hearing her like this is disconcerting. "Let's meet up in an hour at Friendly's. Is that okay with you?" Friendly's is an old school style diner that serves updated and contemporary takes on comfort food. It's just what the doctor ordered. She agrees and we hang up just as Sam pulls up in front of my house.

I go inside and change into some jeans, a t-shirt and some flats. I don't even bother changing my purse or jewelry and throw a black leather jacket on over my shirt because it's a cool night (pic in profile). After I freshen my makeup, I call for a cab and sit on my couch playing with my phone until my doorbell rings. I text Edward, who has been MIA most of the day to let him know my plans and see if he wants to meet up later. Once the cab shows up, I head out the door and go on my way. Halfway there, I get a phone call from a giggly Alice.

"Hi stranger," I answer, smiling at her giddiness. "How are you? Jasper told me about your little event next week."

"That's what I was calling about. So it's a cocktail event. I already have a dress for you to wear. The only thing you need to worry about is hair, make up, and bringing a date. I'm assuming things are still perfection with your dreamy boss?" she asks. I can hear her smile over the line.

"Yep. Everything is in order there. We're going to see Phoenix tomorrow. You and Jasper wanna tag along?"

"I'd love to, but I have so much to do before next week. Look, let's get together for dinner after it's over with, okay? Anyway, I better get going. I love you! I'll talk to you later!" she chirps, hanging up as soon as the words are out of her mouth.

I shake my head at my phone, smiling to myself. Alice is a handful, but that's why I love her. The cab pulls up in front of the diner and I quickly pay the driver. When I get out of the car, I see Rose pacing in front of the entrance, looking gorgeous as usual, but a little frazzled. I jog up to her.

"Hey Rose, what's wrong?" I give her a hug and she clings to me. After a few moments, she pulls away, wiping her face discreetly.

She starts laughing a little, embarrassed at her reaction. "Oh wow. That sucked." She straightens up and gives me another quick hug. "Sorry. I'll tell you what's going on when we get inside. I already gave them my name and our table is ready but I made them wait to seat me until you got here."

We walk inside together and are quickly seated at a small booth in the back corner. Our waiter brings us some water and takes our drink orders while we try and decide what to order. After a few minutes, we order our food and once we're left alone, I glance at Rose out of the corner of my eye as I sip my vodka tonic. She gets uncharacteristically nervous and starts playing with the little toothpick holding her olives in her martini.

"Just spit it out," I say after a few minutes. "It's like taking a band-aid off. It's better to do it qui-"

"I think Emmett is cheating on me!" she cries out, stopping me mid-sentence. My mouth gapes open as fresh tears raise in her eyes and spill out of the corners. Rose quickly wipes them away and drains her drink in one go. "And to top it off, I'm like 2 weeks late."

I grab her now empty glass from her hand and wave the waiter away when he comes by with refills. "Wait a minute. If you're saying what I think you're saying, than this -" I point to the martini glass, "has to stop. At least for now, until you figure out what's going on."

She glares at me, but nods. "I know. I'm not totally stupid, just desperate." She drinks her water and then files through the little box of sugar packets while she gathers her thoughts. I sit patiently, waiting for her to continue. She sighs heavily. "Okay, so Emmett started acting really weird all of the sudden. Just totally out of the blue. He is hard to get in touch with, he's always on these private calls, he _sleeps_ with his phone... what kind of guy does that if he doesn't have something to hide. He stopped letting me come over to his place. I haven't even told him about me maybe being pregnant. What if he just leaves me? I mean, I don't know if I want this baby or not, but I don't want him to stay if he's just staying out of an obligation to me." I reach across the table and pat her hand. Rose glances up from where she's staring at the table and gives me a small smile. "Look at what a mess I'm in."

"Okay, first things first. Have you taken a pregnancy test?" I ask her. She shakes her head. "After dinner, lets pick one up, along with all necessary items such as some soda, ice cream, and a couple of chick flicks. No matter what the outcome, I'll be with you tonight through it all."

Rose smiles at me; the first real smile she's given all night. Just then, our food arrives and we start to eat. Thinking about what she said about Emmett, I concentrate on eating for a minute while I try to think of something to say. I clear my throat and take a quick drink of water before I start.

"Now, Emmett. Look, you don't know what's going on with him for sure. Have you talked to him about it? I didn't think so. Maybe he can tell something is up with you and so he's kind of drawing away, trying to give you your space. As for the mysterious phone calls... who knows? Maybe it's a crazy client, mother, sister, ex-girlfriend or something. I think you need to talk to him, see what's going on, before you assume the worst."

"I know. I know. I don't know why I'm acting this way."

I laugh. "It's because you love him. Think about it. When you were with Royce, did you ever feel for him the way you feel about Em? No. Never. Especially towards the end, you just wanted out of that relationship. Love is scary."

"And how would you know?" she asks, squinting at me.

I can feel the blush start in my chest and rise all the way up through my hairline. I quickly take a bite of food and ignore the question.

"Something happened with Edward, didn't it!?" she cries, slapping the fork out of my hand playfully. I glare at her and pick it back up, making patterns in the leftover gravy on my plate.

"Maybe," I reply, noncommittally.

"Come on, spill. If I can't even have another martini tonight, you'd better provide me with some entertainment," she says, taking a huge bite of mashed potatoes.

I giggle at her reaction and set my fork down so I can dish about what's been happening. I tell her all about the time we've spent together and all the amazing things he's done for me. When I get to the part about our little sleepover, she claps her hands together and then groans because apparently Emmett and her haven't exactly been intimate the last week or so. We order a chocolate cake to split for dessert and talk about Alice's show. Rose and Emmett were invited, but she thinks she'll end up going solo. I tell her that I'll be her date if she'd like but she turns me down.

"I'm not going to get in between you and Edward. I spent years on my own. A few months with a guy isn't going to change my ability to be by myself." She looks like she's trying to convince herself more than me. I shrug and tell her to let me know if she changes her mind. After we pay, we get her car from the nearby parking lot and drive to a corner drugstore. We pick up a box of pregnancy tests, some ice cream, soda, and a bunch of different kinds of chips.

We pull up at her building and she gives the keys to the parking lot attendant to park for her. She lives in a swanky apartment building that's all sharp corners and glass. But somehow her apartment is warm and inviting. Once we're inside, she drinks a bottle of water in one go and then walks to her master bedroom and sits on the bed, waiting until she has to use the restroom. We sit in silence for a few minutes and then she announces she's ready.

"I don't know if this is weird or not, but do you want me to come with you?" I ask.

She gives me a weird look and shakes her head. "I'm a big girl. But will you wait with me to see the answer?"

"Of course! I'll just be out here." While she does her business I wander around her room, looking at the framed pictures of her family and friends she has scattered throughout. There is one of Alice, me, and Rosalie, taken in Malibu where we went one weekend a couple of summers ago. We look so happy and together, like nothing will stop us from being friends.

"Bella?" I hear Rose call quietly from the bathroom. I knock and then walk inside. She's sitting on the side of her massive bathtub, looking at the 5 pregnancy tests lined up in a row. "I did all five. I didn't want to take any chances."

I sit next to her and hold her hand while we wait. Every few seconds, I hear her sigh quietly and look at her watch. Finally, the 3 minutes is up. "Here goes nothing," she whispers. Glancing over at the first test, it's negative. She breathes a sigh of relief. Then she looks at the next one - same thing. The rest all match as well. "Well fuuu..." she breaks off mid-swear, standing and rubbing her lower abdomen. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Probably nothing. Did you ever think that maybe the stress you're putting on yourself about Emmett and with work is maybe what's causing your period to just be late? I'm sure you're fine. But you should go to the doctor anyway, make sure."

She gives me a hug, and then announces that it's time to celebrate. "If I'm not pregnant, than I'm getting tipsy." She pulls me into her massive closet and throws a pair of sweats and a tank top at me. Stripping, she climbs into some pj shorts and a t-shirt. "Hurry!" I quickly get changed and follow her down the hall to her living room. She grabs a bottle of whipped cream flavored vodka from her fridge and pours us each a large Coke mixed with a healthy dose of vodka mixed in. Then we sort through her DVD collection until we find a couple we want to watch. After we pop the DVD in, we lounge on her couch and giggle while the movie plays, getting steadily drunk as we drink more glasses of Coke and vodka.

Halfway through the second movie, we're both plastered and can't stop laughing about our recount of our Christmas vacation from last year when we went to Mexico with Alice. She got stuck in a sand trap on the golf course when she went off with some pool boy. We're still not sure how she couldn't get herself out again. She claims she wasn't drunk, but we think she was. Otherwise there's no excuse for something like that.

"Ooh. I just had a great idea," I slur, smiling into my glass. Hm. It's empty. When did that happen? She waves at me, indicating that I should continue while she mixes up another batch of drinks. "We should call Emmett."

Rose spills some of the whiskey she's pouring at the sound of his name. "What?! Are you a crazy person?" She sets the bottle down, missing the tray it used to sit on and spilling some more in the process. Tapping her finger to her chin she looks up, thinking. "On second thought, that's a brilliant idea. Let's."

Clapping my hands together, I jump up from the couch and grab her purse from the table by her front door. I pull her phone from the little pocket on the inside and fumble around, trying to turn it on. "Your phone is possessed!" I shout, throwing it onto the couch when I can't figure it out. Rose daintly picks it up between her thumb and forefinger and turns it over so the screen is facing her. She types a code in, but it tells her it's wrong. She repeats the process and it still won't turn on. After about 5 attempts, she throws it back on the couch and grunts, very unladylike.

"Let's just use my phone!" I grab it off the coffee table and unlock it, handing it to Rose. She types his phone number into the screen and then hits the speaker button. Together we sit huddled on the couch, listening to the line ring.

"Hello?" a groggy voice answers. Emmett clears his throat when there's no response. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Em, it's me," Rose replies.

"And me!" I shout into the speaker. Rose and I burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh god," Emmett grumbles. "Are you guys drunk?" I hear a bunch of rustling and him grunting. "I'm coming over."

"NO!" we shout at the same time.

"Girls night, idiot," I say, rolling my eyes at him. Rose laughs loudly.

"Yeah. Idiot," she giggles.

"Well, I'm up. What did you want?" he asks, sounding pretty pissed.

"Look. You have no right to talk to me that way. You listen up buddy!" Rose snaps at Emmett. "What's going on with you? Why are you being such a dick lately?"

I can't help it, I start laughing loudly when she calls him a dick. She looks at me, grinning.

"I'm not going to talk to you about this while you're plastered, in front of your friend. You need to hang up, go to bed, and sleep this off. When you're sober and not pissed, we'll talk." Emmett hangs up the phone while a string of curse words fall from his mouth.

Rose and I look at each other with I'm sure what are matching looks on our faces - mouth dropped open, eyes wide. Her face flushes with anger. "No one hangs up on me!" she shrieks, picking the phone back up and hitting redial. "Emmett McCarty! You stop being an idiot and tell me right now what's going on!" she yells into the phone once he answers.

"Rose, okay, I'm coming over right now. You better get your shit together before I get there. Then we'll have a conversation and that will be the end of this." He hangs up again before she has the chance to answer.

She sits, holding the phone and seething quietly.

I clear my throat. "Maybe I should go..." I half whisper, trying not to startle her.

"No way. Whatever he has to say, he can say to me with you here. He owes me." She stands up, walking to the kitchen. "I will do him the courtesy of trying to sober up somewhat before he gets here."

I have a feeling that the anger coursing through her right now has done just that, but I take the proffered cup of black coffee when she hands it to me. We sit at her dining room table while we wait for him to show up. Surprisingly, he arrives quickly, hair mussed and a jacket thrown on over his sweatpants and tank top. He seems unsurprised to see me there.

"Hi Bella," he says. "I take it you're staying."

"Um..." I start to stammer when Rose interrupts me.

"Of course she's staying. I've been a wreck. She needs to be here to help me clean up the pieces!" she yells at him, stomping to where he stands in the doorway. "Do you know what I've been through the last couple of weeks?"

"What you - what _you've _been through?" Emmett replies, his voice rising with each syllable. He takes a deep breath when Rose starts crying quietly, leaning against the wall. "Maybe Bella should leave."

"No. I want her here with me." She reaches out a hand towards me and I slowly and very awkwardly head towards her to hold it.

"Look Rosie, I've been really busy with work. That is all. You have nothing to worry about." Breathing deeply, he suddenly looks really tired.

"Why haven't you been letting me over to your place?" she demands.

"That's what this is about?"

"And why are you always on private phone calls, hiding your texts and stuff?" she continues, her voice still angry. "I don't like being lied to, or led on, or treated like I don't matter."

Emmett lets out a noisy breath at this. "You think you don't matter to me? Truly, you're the only thing that does." He pushes himself off the wall, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. Glancing at me nervously, he walks over to Rosalie. I let go of her hand and walk away just a little, letting them have some space.

"Baby, I love you. You know that." Emmett kisses her on the forehead lightly. "Okay, I was waiting until a better time for this, but whatever. Let's just do it." He sinks to one knee, holding her left hand in both of his. I gasp when I realize what he's doing. Rose continues to give him a curious look, like it hasn't quite clicked in her head.

"I've been walking around the past few weeks with this in my pocket, trying to figure out how to do it. I didn't pull away because I didn't love you anymore. I was torn between wanting to marry you and wondering if it was too soon. I don't think it is. I didn't let you come to my house because once I decided to propose, I had my mom come over to stay with me for a little. She was going to help me come up with a great way to propose. You deserve better than this, but I can't wait anymore. Rosalie Lillian Hale, will you make me the happiest chump ever and marry me?" He pulls a ring box out of his jacket pocket where his right hand was hidden.

When he opens it, Rose finally reacts, gasping at the sight inside. It's a massive emerald cut diamond. The band splits apart on either side of the main stone, which is surrounded by smaller pave diamonds that then run along each side of the band as well (pic in profile). It's perfectly Rosalie - not understated in the least but classy. Emmett slides it onto her ring finger and she kneels down in front of him and kisses him until they fall back against the wall. I clear my throat to get their attention. 

"This is lovely, really. I'm super happy for your Rose. But I think you guys need some _alone_ time," I say, blushing. Rose stands up, hugging me tightly. Emmett follows suit but then pulls away, looking at Rosalie.

"So is that a yes?" he asks, frowning a little.

"Of course you oaf!" she laughs, throwing herself back into his arms. She peppers his face with kisses and I quietly gather my things up and head out the door. While I wait for the elevator, I call a cab company. Once I'm down in her lobby, I sit on a bench near the entrance, waiting for the cab to pull up. I check my messages - nothing from Edward. I frown and put my phone back in my purse, determined to ignore it. If he doesn't want to come with me tomorrow then whatever. Once I get home, I fall asleep quickly and sleep like there is no tomorrow.

When I wake around noon the next day, I realize I've missed 5 phone calls - all from Edward. I listen to the three voicemails he left me. The first two are just normal but the third one he sounds genuinely upset that I haven't answered. I check the time. It was about 30 minutes ago.

I decide to shower and then call him once I'm done. I take my time, shaving my legs and wash my hair. After I'm done, I decide that I'm just acting petty and call him. He answers on the first ring, breathless like he's in a rush.

"Hey Edward. I got your messages. Sorry for not answering earlier; I just woke up about 30 minutes ago. Late night."

"No worries. I was just making sure we're still on for tonight," he answers, breathing heavily. "Hey hold on just a second okay?" I hear him pressing some buttons and then his breathing starts to slow. "Sorry, I was running. So you're not mad at me?"

I laugh, "Of course not. I mean, I was a little hurt when I didn't hear from you the past couple of days, but whatever. I'm not going to be one of those girls. And yes, we're still on tonight, if you're good. Want to meet at the park?"

"One of what kind of girls exactly?" he asks. I can hear the grin in his voice.

"Oh you know, the clingy ones who can't go a day without hearing from their boy -" I stop, pausing before I use that word. "The guy they're dating, casually."

"Are we that casual? And do you mean a girl like Rosalie?" he starts laughing. "I heard about last night. Sounds like quite the occasion."

"Yeah, it was. Anyway, you didn't answer my question. Did you want to meet at the park?" I ask, trying to steer the conversation back. Just because I've stopped being petty doesn't mean I'm not still a little hurt about him not calling me.

"I get it. Yes, I'll meet you at the park, if that's okay. I have some things I need to take care of today so won't have time to get together sooner, unfortunately. I'll bring the food though. My mom prepared us a big picnic once she found out what our plans were for tonight."

I sigh. "Your mom shouldn't have done that. It's not her responsibility."

Laughing, he just replies that I should know his mom better than that by now.

"Okay well I'll let you finish your run. I've gotta blow dry my hair and stuff. See you later." I hang up without waiting for an answer. Ugh, why are relationships - or whatever this is - so confusing? I shake my head and go back into my bathroom to finish getting ready. I blow dry my hair straight, then put on some makeup. I throw on some jeans and a tank top, slipping some grey Converse onto my feet (pic in profile). Then I gather up a beanie, a hoodie, and my purse with all my things in it. I decide to run to the store and pick up some groceries for the next week so I head outside, locking my door as I go. I call Rosalie as I walk the couple of blocks to the store.

"Hi Rose. How are you today?" I ask in a teasing tone.

"Fantastic! I am just getting ready to go to Emmett's house with him, to meet his mom! Can you believe last night? Oh man, and after you left we spent the whole night just -"

I cut her off with a moan. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know!"

Rose laughs. "Are you excited for your daaaate tonight?" she asks.

I shrug. "Eh, I guess." I don't know how to put into words my confusion at how Edward has been acting so I don't even try to.

"What's that all about?" she asks, picking up on my tone.

"I don't know. I don't really want to think about it right now. Hey, I'll let you go. You need to get ready to meet your future mother-in-law! Tell me how it goes. Love you."

"Okay... I'll text you later. Love you too B." She says, before hanging up.

I get to the store and grab a few essential items like milk and bread. As I'm walking to check-out, I notice a guy in a green jacket staring at me from the aisle ahead of me. I stare back, trying to determine if I know him or not. When he sees me staring, he quickly looks back at the can of soup he's holding, as if to study the nutrition label. I just shake my head and keep going. After I've paid, I walk home but when I stop to glance in the window of a little boutique, I notice the guy in the green jacket is about a half a block away from me, talking on his phone and staring in my direction intently.

Thoroughly creeped out, I try to pretend I didn't notice and walk inside the shop. Looking at a blouse hanging near the door, I quickly pull my phone out to dial Edward's number. But then I think about it again. I can handle this. I step outside quickly and see him leaning causally against a newspaper stand.

"Hey!" I call angrily. "Hey you! Guy in the green jacket!" I start to walk towards him quickly, not even trying to hide my anger. He looks up, startled at my reaction. As I get close to him, he straightens up quickly and starts to walk away, embarrassed. I catch up to him and shove him as hard as I can.

"What's your problem?!" he asks, turning to face me. He's handsome up close, but I'm creeped out by him following me.

"What's _your_ problem?" I ask. "Why are you following me!?"

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend? I'm obviously terrible at this. Tell him I quit!" he says, running his hand through his hair before stalking down the street. Stunned, I stand in silence for a few minutes. The man running the newspaper stand touches my shoulder.

"Are you okay Miss?" he asks.

I look at him and smile. "Yeah, I'm just not sure what that was all about. Thanks for your concern." I pick up my grocery bag and start walking home, checking over my shoulder every so often to make sure no one is following me. Everything seems clear, so I head inside and put my food away. Then I snatch my phone from my bag and dial Edward.

He answers with a groan. "Peter just told me what happened."

"What happened?! What exactly _did_ happen Edward?" I ask, pissed that he knows exactly why I'm calling.

"Don't be angry. I asked Peter to keep an eye on you when you were alone. I don't like the thought of you being out and about with James on the loose and who knows who else following his lead."

"You couldn't have told me? I was terrified. I thought he was one of James's goons or something!" I shout into the phone, unable to control my anger at the situation.

Edward sighs and replies, "You're right. I should have told you. I didn't want you to blow it off though. Your safety means everything to me."

"I'll talk to you in a bit, after I've calmed down," I snap, hitting the end call button and throwing my phone onto my coffee table.

I tug at the ends of my hair, examining them for split ends while I take deep breathes to allow my heartbeat and mind to go back to normal.

"Okay girl, he did it for your own good. He obviously cares about you and wants you to be safe. You're just reacting this way because you were a little frightened," I tell myself quietly. I lie back on the couch, feeling each breath as it flows in and out of my lungs. "You're fine. You're perfectly fine. Don't let this ruin a good day. Stop being mad at Edward for stupid things. Just let yourself have fun and a good day with him." After a few minutes, I feel much better and the the guilt comes in for treating him the way I did. I grab a glass of water from the kitchen and drink it slowly before I dial Edward's number again.

"Edward, I'm sorry," I say as soon as he answers. "I overreacted. I was scared and reacted very badly. Please forgive me."

He laughs, "There is nothing to forgive on your end. I'm the one who should be asking for forgiveness. Don't let it ruin your day. Let's just enjoy the concert tonight and forget it happened."

"Can you apologize to your friend Peter for me?" I ask him, rubbing my temples. The quick bout of anger I just experienced has left me with a slight headache.

"Of course. Look I'm almost done here. Do you want me to come over? We can go to the park together."

"Sure," I reply. "But I'm going to lie down for a bit. You might be bored."

"Don't worry, I'm never bored with you. I'll see you in about 30 minutes," Edward says.

I nod, "Okay."

After we hang up, I walk upstairs and kick my shoes off before flopping down on my unmade bed. This week has been a whirlwind of emotions and I am glad it's almost over. Just as I start to doze off, I hear a sharp rap at my door. I groggily get up and walk down to the door to answer it.

"Hey sleepyhead," Edward says, teasing me. He pulls me in for a hug and kisses my temple. "Let's take a nap." 

I nod and lead him upstairs back to my bedroom. Lying back down, I snuggle into the pillow. Edward takes his shoes and jacket off and then curls himself around my back, hugging me tightly. I intertwine my fingers with his and pull our joined hands up underneath my chin, holding him against me.

We wake up a couple of hours later and it's about time to leave. We have to swing by his parent's to pick up our picnic basket so I put on my beanie and hoodie and grab my purse and phone and we head out. On the car ride to his parent's house, we talk about our favorite concerts. I'm bummed to hear that he's seen Radiohead twice, the most recent in Seattle. "One day I'll take you," he tells me.

We pick up the basket and head to the park. Surprisingly not many people are there yet, so we pick a prime spot at the top of the hill. The concert venue is all general admission but it's outdoors and built like an amphitheatre with a hill sloping down towards the stage. I don't like fighting the crowds and neither does Edward, so we're in agreement that the top of the hill is best. We can see perfectly but can retain our sanity throughout the show and not deal with the rest of the concertgoers.

The basket is filled to the brim with delicious finger foods and drinks. Most of it is hand prepared, but the drinks are a mixture of organic sodas and a few alcoholic choices. I set mine aside for later - I don't want to get drunk or buzzed before the show. We talk quietly and eat, enjoying the cool breeze that blows in while the sun is beating down on us. Soon enough, the concert begins as the sun sets across the bay.

It's a perfect setting and I can't help but lean in close to Edward as we sit and listen to the music, singing along to our favorite songs and laughing at ourselves. I forget the stress of the week, the frustration I've felt at Edward's distance, and the fear James has put in my mind. The evening is perfect and more than I could ever hope for.

At the end of the night, we gather things up and Edward drives me home. I fall asleep in his car and so he carries me to my bed. I vaguely acknowledge him kissing me on the forehead before he tucks me into bed. Just as he shuts my bedroom door, I think I hear him whisper quietly, "I love you. Sleep well."


	14. Chapter 14

AN - Ok let's get this party started. This will be a shorter chapter than usual, but it's my attempt to get you updates sooner. Thanks again for sticking with this story. It's got a beginning, a middle, and an end... we just have to get there.

Also, I was sick of having to update my profile each time I added a new outfit/link/picture, so if you want to view the current pictures for this story, they're on the blog that's now linked to my profile. I loaded all that I could, but some of the previous links didn't work - namely for Edward's clothes.

Thanks again!

_****Stephenie Meyer owns all, blah, blah, blah... you should know the drill by now.****_

***^*^*^Unknown POV*^*^*^**

I study the image in my hand for several minutes, committing it to memory, before I set it down on the stack that is already sitting on my desk. It's falling over and I watch it tip, causing the pictures to slide to the right side as they go. They spread out like a fan on the desktop and I smile at myself while looking at them. They are so beautiful, and have such a large range - her smiling with her friends in her kitchen, changing in her bedroom, working on her computer at work, even some of her showering. I stroke the image of her long brown hair, lingering on her soft cheeks and beautiful brown eyes. Frowning, I slip one from the middle of the pile - it's one of her kissing her boyfriend passionately.

"You're going to have to go," I say, taking the picture and ripping it in half. I throw her half in the garbage bin and tape his to the wall. I stare at it for a little bit, trying to figure out the best way to remove him from the overall "picture." I sit back down at my desk, pulling out the box of her treasures I've collected - a bottle of perfume, a charm necklace, and a photograph of her at her college graduation. "Oh Bella. How you've captured me. I just need to get you out of his spell. Then we can be together."

I hear a sharp rap at my front door. Hurrying, I put everything back in the box, sliding it into my desk drawer and locking it. No one in this neighborhood knows me; that's the benefit of having multiple properties throughout the city, each under a different name. I come and go anonymously and can keep snoops out of my business. Pulling the loaded gun from my waistband, I walk quickly towards the door and peek out the peephole. Letting out the breath I was holding, I realize it's just the Chinese food I ordered. I open the door and snatch it from the delivery boy's hand, shoving some crumpled dollars into his open palm. I sit quietly and eat as I flip through the channels of my tv. Listening to the sound of the city all around my apartment, I make a decision. I need to get closer. So this week, I will.

***Bella's POV***

Wednesday after work, I clock out and head downstairs. Edward has still been MIA in the office more than I'd like, but he checks in with me via text and email throughout the day, so I don't feel as neglected as I did last week. Tonight will be the first night since last Saturday when we went to the concert that we'll spend together so to say I'm excited is an understatement. I head home, letting Sam walk me to the door even though I feel like rolling my eyes the entire time. Once inside, I see that Alice has dropped off a dress and accessories for me to wear tonight to her show. I braid pieces of my hair, then pull it into a low bun. Then I add some more eye makeup to my face, emphasizing my eyes a little more than my everyday makeup does.

While I get ready, I have a brief text conversation with Edward. He was originally going to pick me up but is now running late from a client meeting and will have to meet me there. Disappointed, I tell him I'll see him later tonight and call for a cab to pick me up. Edward and I were planning on dinner before the event, but now that he's not going I decide to just go help Alice with any set-up she may need. She's having the show at a large loft space downtown. After I call the cab company, ignoring the warning Edward gave me to not be alone when I'm traveling anywhere, I grab the garment bag from my closet door and unzip it. Gasping, I frown and pull the dress out of the bag. It is a silky, skin tight, black little number that looks like it won't fit a child. Along with it is a small lingerie bag holding a set of lingerie in it that is barely there. Also, the garment bag carries a black trench and a set of silver Louboutins and matching clutch. There is a note pinned to the inside of the bag:

_Call this number and someone will be at your house in less than 20 minutes with your jewelry. No ifs, ands, or buts! I won't have you looking like a raggamuffin at one of my biggest nights ever. Love you B!_

_xoxo - Ali _

Cringing, I hold the dress up to myself in the mirror. "How in the hell does she expect me to fit into something like this?" I whisper furiously. I contemplate finding something else in my closet to wear, but decide it's not worth the trouble I'll be in with Alice. I bite the bullet and slip out of the tank top and boxers I'm wearing and into the underwear she provided. This girl doesn't leave anything up to chance. Holding my breath, I struggle into the dress, frowning as I go. One it's on, I turn back towards the mirror, glancing at myself through one eye.

"Huh. It doesn't look half bad" I say quietly, adjusting the straps and hem where it's crooked from putting it on. It's definitely tight, but looks purposely tight. Since it's knee-length, it looks sexy but classy. I turn in the mirror, checking out the sides and back to make sure nothing looks out of place. Smiling at myself, I decide I like this dress better than I did at first glance. Once I'm satisfied, I call the number on the card she included. A snooty sounding man answers the other line. I tell him my name and Alice's and instantly his mood changes.

"Yes Miss Swan. I have an order for you here. One necklace - platinum and diamond, one bracelet - platinum with diamond and sapphire inset, and one set of platinum and diamond teardrop shaped earrings. I have a courier waiting to bring them right to you. Shall I send him now?"

"Um, sure. But first, how much does this all cost?" I bite my nail and rub my toe along the plush rug at the end of my bed.

"It's taken care of. Miss Brandon has paid the bill and security deposit for you. The courier will be by shortly. Enjoy your treasures Miss Swan." With that, he hangs up the phone.

I call Alice about it all. "What were you thinking? I can't wear that much jewelry. You realize that I will probably lose something right?"

She scoffs. "Oh stop. You're not that clumsy. Besides, you have to look your best tonight. There will be a ton of press and socialites and celebutantes. I want you to stand out, not blend in!"

"Okay," I say slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. I'm so nervous that I've started sweating. "I just hope nothing happens to any of it. I'm going to come by early and help you with whatever you need, okay?"

"What happened to dinner with Mr. Hottie Boss?" she asks, somehow managing to sound simultaneously concerned and distracted at the same time.

"He had a client meeting that's running late, so I'm just meeting him at your show. I'll see you soon," I reply, hanging up before I have to answer anymore questions. Even though I knew what I was getting myself into by dating Edward, sometimes it still sucks to feel like I'm coming second to his work. I know he cares about me, so I swallow any lingering jealousy or insecurities and turn towards my vanity mirror. This outfit calls for a little more makeup, so I take my time adding smokey black eyeliner and some red lipstick.

By the time I finish and slip the beautiful heels on, the courier has made his way to my house. I walk downstairs to the door, clutch and trench coat in hand, and answer the door. A young but impeccably dressed young man is standing at the door, holding a black leather bag with the logo of the jewelry company stamped on the side.

"Please, come on in." I hold the door open for him and he enters my living room, placing the bag on my coffee table. Pulling out three black boxes, he sets each one on the coffee table in order of size. Opening the first, he pulls an over the top necklace out.

"This necklace is set in platinum, with geometric cut diamonds set within." He gestures at me to turn around so I do. Fastening the necklace around my neck, he adjusts it so it lies flat against my skin. The necklace is cool and heavy and I get nervous thinking about how much it must cost. Next, he pulls a beautiful pave diamond and sapphire cuff bracelet from a box, securing it around my wrist. It's made up of oval shaped links, some of which have sapphires embedded in the center. I turn my wrist about, watching the diamonds sparkle in the light of my living room. "Last," he says, pulling the smallest box from the table, "are these lovely teardrop diamond earrings. Wearing your hair pulled back was an excellent choice. It will allow the earrings to be full on display. Your friend has perfect taste in jewels - all of these look beautiful on you." I fasten each earring onto my ears and then walk to the mirror near my door.

"I'm nervous. This is too much. Can I send something back with you?" I ask, fingering the necklace lightly.

He laughed quietly. "You have nothing to worry about. We loan jewelry out all the time - probably more than we'd sell pieces like this. Here's the security receipt," he says, handing me an official looking piece of paper. I scan it quickly, catching the important points. "Tomorrow, you can call to have us pick up the pieces or bring them by our store. Either way works. Now, I hope you enjoy yourself tonight, and try not to worry." He places the boxes back in the bag, zipping it up and leaving it on the coffee table for me to reuse once the night is over.

After he leaves, I double check I have everything in my clutch and slip the trench coat on, tying the belt tightly. I check out the window to see the cab driver is here, so I walk outside and head to the loft. On my way, I check my messages, hoping to have heard from Edward. No such luck. Sighing to myself, I remind myself that he agreed to spend the night tonight, so it's not like I won't get plenty of time with him later. We pull up in front of the building and I hand the cabbie my money. Evening has fallen and the lights in the city look beautiful on the slightly wet pavement. I smile to myself to think of the fun night ahead and how proud I am of Alice for making her dreams come true this way. If only I could be lucky enough to find a job at a crime lab - then we'd all be doing what we want to do. Oh well. I shrug and head inside.

As I reach the top of the stairs, I hear Alice directing people loudly. "Gee, you sure are loud for being such a little pixie," I call to her, entering the doors.

"Bella!" she squeals, running over to me and squeezing me tightly. "You look amazing. I knew that dress would look fantastic on you. You have to help me make sure everything is ready to go. Would you mind just double checking the gift bags and making sure there is a bottle of perfume in each? The bottles came late and I don't know that they all got one."

I nod, "Of course!" I shrug my coat off, placing it on the back of the chair near the gift bag table and then go through each one to make sure everything is ready. After I'm confident it is, I look around to find Alice. She's not in the main room so I ask a caterer if she's seen Alice.

"She headed backstage to make sure the models are all here." She points me to the door. Thanking her, I walk to the backstage area and find Alice with her hands shoved in her hair, breathing quickly and loudly.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, pulling her hands out of her hair.

"Three of my models are sick with food poisoning!" she cries, throwing her arms around me for the second time in one night. "What do I do?"

"Oh, this is not my area. Hold on, let me think for a second. Can you just not show their clothes?" I ask, unsure.

Glaring at me she huffs, pushing her messed up bangs out of her face. "Of course not. Each piece in my collection is essential to showing investors and buyers what I have to offer." She stops talking abruptly, looking at me. "Turn around, slowly," she commands.

"Um, okay..." I say, doing as she says.

"You know, you are actually pretty close to Kat's size," Alice says, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Not nearly as tall, but shoes can fix that."

"No... oh no Alice. I'm not going to do it." I back away from her slowly once I realize what she's implying.

"Come on! You're my best friend. I _neeeeed_ you," she says, falling onto her knees and grabbing at my left leg. I cringe, looking around in embarrassment but none of the staff seem even fazed by her reaction. "Look, I won't even put you in anything too crazy!" she offers. She turns her pleading look my way, even going so far as to clasp her hands together under her chin in a show of supplication.

Rolling my eyes at her, I grab her hand and haul her off the floor. "Fine. But you owe me so big." Holding onto my hand, she drags me to a nearby beauty station and shoves me into the director's chair in front.

"Big. You need big hair and big eyes. I'm thinking gold... what do you think Tina?" she asks the makeup artist hovering nearby.

Tina nods. "Yes. And the braids could actually work." With that she pulls the pins from my hair, letting it fall down around my shoulders. Alice flits away to check on the rest of the girls. Tina goes to work, pinning back my bangs, braiding a few additional sections and curling the rest in big curls. While she works on my hair, I tap my foot nervously against the leg of the small vanity. She smiles at me. "I heard what happened. It was very nice of you to agree to help Alice out. Don't be too nervous."

I scoff, "Nice? Thanks... I mean, she's my best friend, but I didn't want to do it. Who can say no to that face though?"

Tina laughs. "You're right. She's kind of irresistible. Anyway, you'll do fine. Just remember to breathe. It'll be over before you know it." We sit in silence while she finishes up the rest of my hair and makeup. By the time she's done, my hair is long and curly and massive. She stuck in some extensions so it's much longer than normal. My makeup is very dramatic - big lined eyes with gold leafing along the lashline. I don't even look like myself but I like the result. I give her a hug and she moves onto another girl.

I wander off to find Alice who is talking animatedly to one of the caterers. I catch the tail end of their conversation. She offers to pay the girl three times her normal rate to be one of her models and the girl agrees excitedly. Once she leaves for hair and makeup, Alice turns her attention my way. "Oh my. You look beautiful! So exotic!" She claps her hands together and leads me to a changing station. "These are your outfits. The short dress is for the first half of the show and the gown is for the finale. You'll be last out in both cases. Victoria over there will help you get in order. She's the one with red hair and the headset. Once you're done with your final round, just come back here. Then all the girls will head out, in order of appearance, and I'll follow you. Any questions?"

I shake my head. She gives me one last hug before heading off to finalize everything. I realize I left my phone with my coat out front, so I run out to the gift bag table and snatch up the clutch and coat before heading backstage again. The whole room has been transformed and I'm excited to see the final result when it's full of people.

I quickly change into the first dress. It's short and a dark blue and the skirt is covered in small feathers and rhinestones. I roll my eyes a little bit - this is the type of dress Alice would love to see me in normally but I'd veto. It's beautiful, but not my style. The back has a deep plunging back which worries me. Luckily nothing shows when I look in the mirror. I ask Tina to double check for me that my butt isn't hanging out and she laughs but reassures me that I have nothing to worry about. After that, I sit on a chair and play on my phone. I still have no messages from Edward but Rose texted me to tell me that she's on her way. I text back, letting her know what happened and not to laugh when I come out on the runway. Then, before I get her response and lose my nerve, I shove my phone back in my clutch, tapping my index finger against my knee anxiously.

Soon enough, the show is about to start and I make my way to the line of models. Victoria directs me to where I am and reminds me of some walking tips she gave me. "You ready?" she asks.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I reply, trying to force a smile onto my face.

"Remember, no smiling. At least not with teeth. A smirk is okay, but try to keep your face as neutral and focused as possible. Break a leg!" Victoria says, fixing my hemline. Then she pushes me towards the stage entrance and I'm off.

***Edward's POV***

"_Shit, I'm late" _I think to myself, hurrying from my car into the entrance to the loft space where Alice's show is being held. I can hear the pulsing beat of music as I make my way upstairs. The lights are dim, but ambient, providing little light but a lot of atmosphere. I pull out my phone, texting Bella again to see where she's at. I haven't received a response to my last three messages. I straighten my tie and cuffs before I walk through the entryway to the show.

I'm blown away by the sight before me - the whole room is transformed into dark shadows and loud music. Spotlights shine down on the runway where the show is taking place. Just as I focus on the models themselves, I see one come hesitantly from backstage. She walks down the runway, looking nervous but incredible. As she nears the end, my eyes widen. It's not just some model. It's Bella! Swallowing slowly, I walk towards the stage, mesmerized by her gait. She seems to gain confidence as she walks and saunters backstage once she's made her round.

After she leaves my sight, I realize that I'm being flagged down by Jasper and Emmett who are sitting in the front row. I quickly make my way to them and take my seat, apologizing as I go.

"Did you see her?" Emmett asks excitedly.

I nod. "She looked... I hardly recognized her. She looked amazing."

Rosalie rolls her eyes at me. "She always looks amazing Dorkward."

I roll my eyes right back and Emmett pushes her shoulder lightly.

"Lay off woman. Eddie here obviously didn't know what to think. It was quite the surprise."

The beat to the music changes at that moment, signaling a change in the show. We turn our attention back to the runway. The models do their rounds and we all clap and cheer loudly at the last one out, Bella. She's in a white dress with red feathers along the bottom. It's over the top and makes her look like an angel. I can't wait to see her after the show. Just as she gets to the end of the runway, she sees me. She smirks, winks at me, and juts her left hip out slightly, turning to walk back the way she came. I can't peel my eyes away from her. When the models come out, with Alice after them, I catch her eye again, winking. Bella throws her head back, her laugh drowned out by the sound of the standing ovation that Alice is getting.

In the madness that follows the show, I can't find her. I'm talking to an investor about Alice's business plan when suddenly a small pair of hands cover my eyes. When I turn around, Bella throws her arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly. She kisses me deeply and I hear Emmett's unmistakable cheering. Whatever, I never want to stop kissing this girl.

***AN:** Surprised by the extra POVs? I wasn't sure where I was going with this at first, but Edward and Creeper McCreeperson both had minds of their own. Don't worry, next chapter, I'll be getting James and Edward's story out in the open. It has to be organic, and it didn't feel right quite yet.

Would you be interested in a POV from someone else (Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, or Emmett)? If so, PM me and let me know. Thanks guys!


	15. Chapter 15

AN - Thanks for sticking with me. Honestly, I feel like this has been such a wild ride. You guys are awesome. Those of you who have been with me from the beginning rock. For those of you just starting, thanks for checking me out and giving me a chance. I didn't hear from anyone about doing other POVs, so for now I'm going to stick with Bella's and maybe throw in some others here and there if they feel right. If anyone wants a particular POV, and I feel like I can write it organically into the story, PM me. I'll let you know what I can do.

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all... bladdiy blah. You better know the drill by now.****_

Every fall at EC&P, the company has a casual week where we can wear whatever we'd like. In addition, they close a couple of hours early each day, followed by team building classes and exercises. At the end of what has come to be known (sarcastically) as "Friendship Week," we have a large formal cocktail party to celebrate our diversity and teamwork. Each employee is entitled to a +1 and this is my first year attending. I was surprised to find out about this when I first started at the company. With such a large firm and the high level clients we cater to, it seemed like it was destined to be a cold work environment. Carlisle Cullen put the week together about 10 years ago, with the hopes that it would encourage hard work and build a foundation of loyalty within the employees to the company. Surprisingly it worked. Everyone looks forward to Friendship Week, not only because of the more relaxed work environment, but because it's genuinely fun.

Edward told me I could invite Rosalie and he'd invite Emmett. Since Jasper would be bringing Alice, we could spend the evening together, just the six of us. I agreed wholeheartedly. It would be the first time since Alice's show that we were all together. Monday morning I dress in a casual outfit - a slouchy t-shirt with a cardigan, skinny jeans, and boots. I'm not sure what this evening will entail, so I dress for comfort. After Sam picks me up and I, in turn, pick up our Starbucks, I make my way upstairs to our office. Edward is already on a conference call, but puts them on hold momentarily to grab his coffee from my outstretched hand and place a kiss against my palm. Blushing, I head back to my desk and put myself to work. Around 2, Edward sneaks his arms around my shoulders, clicking save on the document I'm working on and logging me out.

"Jasper told me that you were talking about James. I know I have some stuff I need to tell you. Want to take a walk with me? Now's a good time, right?" he asks me.

"You're the boss." I smile and pick up my purse, draining the last of a bottle of water as we walk towards the lobby. We head out into the crisp fall autumn afternoon and I slip my cardigan on as we walk slowly towards a nearby little park. There are leaves blowing in the breeze and I smile at the Halloween decorations that have started popping up in storefront windows and downtown apartments.

"Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays," I say quietly, thinking out loud.

"What was that?" Edward asks, smiling. "Did you know sometimes you talk to yourself? Mostly in your sleep."

I laugh and bump him with my shoulder. "You'd better keep anything I say a secret."

He nods and laughs back.

"I just said that Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays. I like the excitement of it and the anticipation of the holidays that follow it." I shrug. "It just makes me feel like a kid again."

He wraps an arm around my shoulder as we continue the rest of the walk in silence. Once we make it to the park, we sit on a bench and watch some kids play at the attached playground. Edward seems lost in his thoughts so I sit quietly, letting him figure out what he wants to say. To pass time, I draw small patterns into the dirt beneath our feet with the toe of my boot. We sit that way for what starts to feel like hours.

Suddenly, Edward turns towards me and grabs my hand, startling me from my thoughts. He smiles sheepishly at me when he realizes what he did and I put a hand against my fast beating heart. "Ok so I know I have a lot to explain. But I want to thank you for giving me time. I really appreciate it." He stops for a brief pause, his eyes looking distant and takes a deep breath. Once he starts, it's like every word just pours out - a verbal dam breaking inside of him. I sit with wide eyes as he tells me the story.

"_I met James my freshman year of college. We were in the same dorm suite; there were six of us in the same room, including Jasper. He was quiet but seemed nice. We didn't do much together at first but once our second semester rolled around we got pretty close. The two of us had a lot of the same classes - he was pre-law, like me at the time. He wasn't like he is now. Like I said, he was quiet. He didn't seem to fit in... kind of off if you know what I mean. He was home schooled. Not that it means anything, but I think he never really understood how to socialize because of it. _

_Anyway, I decided to pledge my fraternity starting my sophomore year. I was a legacy, but didn't know if I wanted to do all of that when I started school. James wanted to pledge with me. Over the summer he'd changed a lot. He had gotten huge. He said he worked out at the gym all the time, but it was freaky big. He cut his hair, got contacts, someone gave him a makeover. It was like he was a totally different person. But he seemed nice still and we still got along, mostly. The only problem I had was that he drank way too much when we'd go out. And when he got drunk, he acted out. He was more angry and confrontational. But since we didn't go out very often, it wasn't a huge issue. _

_We started the pledge process and everything seemed to be going well. I was pretty much guaranteed a bid in the fraternity, so it wasn't much of a struggle for me. But for some reason, the fraternity head targeted James. They gave him the worst pledge challenges, and there was some borderline hazing going on behind the scenes. He started to get worse and worse, drinking more, going out more, and getting into fights. It was bizarre. He was a 180 from the guy I met freshman year. _

_We both ended up with spots in the fraternity. It wasn't really my scene, but my parents were proud of me. James, however, was a different story. You could tell it really meant a lot to him. He was the big man on campus. And it changed him even more than he was already changed. Now he had a reason to party every weekend. His grades were slipping but he was able to weasel his way out of any sort of punishment. He was skipping class and going to the gym for hours every day. We stayed fairly close, but I could tell we were becoming very different people. We stayed in the fraternity through sophomore and junior year. I heard rumors of how he acted towards the girls in our sister sorority and the other Greek houses, but I dismissed them because I couldn't believe someone like James would be that way towards anyway. _

_One night, during our senior year, I came home to find him shooting up in the bathroom. He said it was medicine but I snooped around and found steroids in his room, along with some white powder. I didn't confront him then, because I didn't think it was my place. But a few nights later, at a party we were throwing, I found him in an attic bedroom, trying to force a girl to do things with him that she didn't want to. He was so high and drunk and I showed our presidency what I'd found in his room. That, along with the testimonies of the girls he'd assaulted - which all turned out to be true - got him expelled from school. He was so angry with me. I mean, what else could I do? _

_None of the girls decided to press charges, surprisingly. But he was blacklisted from the top schools in the country. He was furious, but fell off the face of the earth after a couple of months. I went on with my life, graduating, traveling, and eventually started law school with Jasper. I wondered about him, since we were so close for a few years, but I couldn't track him down and I figured he wanted nothing to do with me at that point anyway. _

_I started dating a girl named Charlotte and things were going really good. My parents liked her and I thought we would probably end up getting married when we graduated. She was about a year behind me in school. The summer before my final year, she went home for the summer and I stayed at school because I had an internship at a pro-bono law office. While she was gone, we fell out of touch. I didn't really think much of it at the time because we were so far away from each other - she was from California. I was busy, but should have paid better attention. When the summer was about over, I couldn't reach her. I was really worried and her parents were too. They said that she told them she was going to spend the summer with me. _

_No one had any idea where she might be, not even her closest friends. We tried every avenue we could think of to locate her. Even the police got involved. Finally, almost 3 months later, we got a break. An acquaintance of ours from school had seen her many times with another man - at bars, coming out of a local hotel, even at the library. I was so busy with school and work that I hadn't even noticed what was going on. She said she ran into Charlotte at the train station with him right after school ended and Charlotte told her that she was running away with him and introduced him as Jamie. She hadn't realized that we were still together until she saw a random posting about Charlotte being missing on Facebook by a mutual friend. They were headed to Las Vegas to elope. _

_By the time we were able to track her down, things were bad. "Jamie" was who you would guess - it was James. He'd been keeping his distance, but not as far as I would have preferred. He had been keeping tabs on me. Once he figured out what Charlotte liked, he went to great lengths to get involved with her. He figured that he would take away what meant the most to me. He picked her up one night while she was out with some friends and for some reason he charmed her enough that she fell for him. Charlotte, this sweet girl who had never broken a law in her life quickly fall down the rabbit hole - drugs, alcohol, petty theft. You name it, she was involved in some way. We tracked them down just outside of Vegas, in a tiny, filthy apartment. She was 5 months pregnant and addicted to heroin and alcohol. He was nowhere to be found when we showed up._

_Her parents and I got her into a rehab center, specializing in pregnant women and mothers. They helped her as much as they could, but most of the damage he'd done in that short amount of time was irreversible. Shortly after she gave birth, Charlotte disappeared. A little while later we found out that she had been involved in some serious home invasions. In one of them, a homeowner was killed. Not by her, but because she was there and helped the one responsible get away, she was just as guilty. Now she's serving 50 years in prison. _

_Her little girl, Megan, was born with few complications, surprisingly. She was a little premature but in pretty good health, all things considering. Charlotte held her for about 10 minutes before pushing her away and announcing that she didn't want her. To make things worse, since James had left and Charlotte refused to put his name on the birth certificate, we couldn't even claim him as father. She denied that Megan was his, insisting she was the result of a one night stand she'd participated in to get some extra money for drugs. _

_For a couple of days I thought about adopting Megan, in an effort to right the wrong I'd done in neglecting Charlotte. But in the end, her parents and I decided that it would be best that they adopt her as her blood relatives. I have a trust fund for her to receive when she turns 21 and a college tuition account to cover her college expenses. Charlotte's parents send me pictures every month and letters letting me know how she's doing._

_Because everything that Charlotte did was voluntary, and there was no proof that James was involved in anything illegal with her, he's been able to get off scott free. I didn't even realize he'd moved to San Francisco until about a year ago. Once I found out, I made sure to keep an eye on him. I couldn't risk him hurting anyone else I loved. Seeing Charlotte's life fall apart was more than I ever want to experience in this lifetime. That's why I'm so worried about you. That's why I want to get him caught. Right now, there's nothing to go on but gut suspicions. But he'll slip up. And when he does, I'll be there to nail him to the wall._"

Edward finishes speaking, his cheeks red from a combination of the cool air and the anger that flared up inside of him towards the end of his story. I don't have anything to say right now - I'm just trying to digest what he's told me. I had no idea James was that type of person. Shivering, I try and wrap my mind around what's going on. People like this shouldn't exist. It's insanity. After a few moments, I shake my head, willing the dark clouds away.

"Are you okay?" Edward asks, looking concerned. "Did I worry you too much?"

"No, no I'm fine," I insist. I swallow and try to smile. "I am just sad. Sad for you, for Charlotte, for poor little Megan. What you all must have gone though..." I trail off, watching Edward watch the children nearby. I can guess what he's thinking and pull his hand between the two of mine. "Let's get out of here."

I pull him to his feet and we walk back to the office. When we get about halfway there, he stops suddenly, pulling me into his arms and kissing me deeply. At first I'm surprised but then I quickly warm to it, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him back. After a few minutes, he pulls away reluctantly.

"We should get back. They're going to start soon. They'll have dinner and stuff too." He takes my hand and was head back to the office. When we arrive, there are a couple of motor coaches with lines of employees waiting to board. He pulls me back a little when I start to make my way into the line nearest to us. "Benefit of dating the boss? You get to ride with me," he says, smiling and grazing my temple with his lips. Angela, a co-worker, nearly chokes on her drink when she sees it, quickly pointing it out to the nearest employee.

Soon, word has spread like fire and nearly the entire company is staring in our direction. Edward is blissfully unaware of the attention we're getting and I can't handle it, so I tug my hand from his and move a few inches to my left, trying to put space between us. He's busy talking to his father and his mother who decided to join us this week for the activities. Esme smiles at me when she sees me move away and walks around the two men to my side.

"I know it's uncomfortable but you need to get used to the attention, Bella. I have the feeling Edward isn't about to let you go and it just gets worse as you get closer to each other. But I do know how you feel. It's intimidating, to say the least." She pats my hand. "You're riding with us, aren't you?"

I nod and shortly after, we make our way to the activities. It's a fun night, filled with a lot of laughter and good food. The rest of the week is much of the same. Come Friday, I'm expecting a lot of silly games and good food so I dress in a sweater, jeans, and sneakers. The second we pile out of the motor coaches, I can tell it's different. We've pulled up in front of what looks like an abandoned warehouse. It's dark inside and seems ominous in the fading light of day.

This time, I rode in the motor coach with Angela. Over the last week, we bonded and I wanted the chance to get to know her. We walk together, slowly, up to the building. "I'm scared," she whispers, clutching my arm. I school my features into a brave face.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's not going to be any harder than the rest of the activities." I am not too convinced myself, but one of us has to be brave. Edward waves us over to where he stands near the entrance.

"Hey you two. How was the ride out?" he asks, pulling me to his side. I blush and Angle laughs at us. She's still shy around Edward, but has warmed up significantly.

"It was fine. Long but Angela and I had a lot to talk about so it was fun. Do you know what they've got planned for us tonight?" I ask him. He shrugs and slips his hands into his pockets, looking up at the darkening sky. That's a sure sign that he's hiding something but I know he won't give it up that easily.

"Okay everybody!" I hear Carlisle call. "I need you to get into teams of two." The employees rush to get their partners. A sweet IT guy named Ben grabs Angela's hand. When she yelps in surprise, he blushes and lets her hand go but sticks close by.

"I thought we could be partners. I-if that's okay with you..." he says, smiling shyly. Angela looks at me for help and I smile at her, trying to encourage her. A light blush colors her cheekbones and she nods in agreement. Edward pulls me to his side and we sit quietly waiting for the ruckus to die down so Carlisle can explain what we're going to do.

"Inside this building is a maze. The goal of this exercise is to see how well you trust your partner. We need to build trust between employees, so we know we can depend on each other, no matter what. One of you will be blindfolded and the other will have their mouth covered. The one who cannot speak will need to guide the blindfolded partner through the maze. The sides of the floor of the maze have a light coating of colored paint. The goal is to get through the maze without walking through the paint. Don't worry, the paint is completely washable and will come off with some soap and water. At the end of the maze is a prize for each time who completes it. The team with the least amount of paint on their shoes also wins 3 days of paid vacation time. Also, while this is not a timed challenge, please be aware of the time. The maze isn't that long, so please don't take all night to get through."

A low murmur rumbles through the crowd at this announcement. Although we get a pretty generous vacation package, who wouldn't like 3 extra paid days off? I tell Edward that I volunteer to be blindfolded. He ties the blindfold around my eyes gently, brushing the hair back behind my shoulders as he does. I shiver lightly at his touch and he chuckles low at my reaction. He whispers, "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." Then he kisses my neck, right below my ear. After that, it's pretty quiet and soon, I feel his hand clasp my wrist and pull me behind him to where I assume the entrance is.

Even through my blindfold I could sense the light, but once we walk through the entryway, I become instantly colder and the light leaves completely. It's very disorienting and I can't help the small thrill of fear from running up my spine, leaving the hair on the back of my neck on end. Edward stops me where I am, placing his hands on my shoulders and then walking around behind me. He leaves his hands on my shoulders and slowly nudges my foot forward. I take it slow, unsure of where I'm going and with my hands splayed in front of me to avoid bumping into anything. I can hear giggling around me as people make their way through the maze, along with the occasional curse word when someone bumps into something or steps in the paint. We take our time and walk in silence. Every so often he tightens his grip on my shoulders, signaling for me to stop moving, and he adjusts my direction. I feel like we're walking forever when suddenly Edward pulls me back towards him. I notice that the room has grown eerily quiet and I think we're going to be the last ones out of the maze.

Edward walks around me, keeping his hands on my shoulders, and suddenly pushes me back gently until I'm flush against a wall. I hear fabric rustling and then he kisses me. I gasp out loud, glad that I can't hear anyone around us. We make out for several minutes. Eventually he slowly pulls away, pressing soft kisses to my cheek and throat before he pulls away completely. I hear him adjust the materiel back around his face and then he pulls me back into position, turning me slightly and nudging my foot forward again. I rub my hands against my cheeks, feeling the heat and trying to calm the blush that I know is there now.

We walk for a few more minutes before I start to see some light behind my blindfold and I can hear the sound of voices grow louder. Suddenly I feel heat from directly in front of me and some cheering and laughing.

"Edward and Bella are last! Wonder why?" I hear Jasper call, laughing. The crowd catcalls at us and I blush again, pulling the blindfold from my eyes. There is a huge bonfire in front of us, along with a small stage covered in twinkle lights. To the left, there is a pavillion with tables of food and picnic tables to eat at. Music pours from some outdoor speakers hanging at intervals on poles. I turn towards Edward and he's smirking at me.

"What?" I ask, putting a hand up to my hair, trying to tame the wild fly-aways I know I have after pulling the blindfold off.

"Look at your shoes." He points at my feet. Curiously I pick one foot up and look - my shoe is clean. There isn't a speck of paint on it. Then I pull up the other. It's the same. I grin at Edward. "Why do you think I took it so slow?"

"You've done this before though, haven't you?" I ask him. "Isn't that unfair to the others?"

"Nope. This is the first year they've had this one. Did you like it?" he asks, winking at me.

Carlisle has all the blindfolded employees come to the little stage where he examines their shoes. In the end it's a tie between myself and a guy from accounting named Paul. Carlisle gives each of us the 3 days, even though I offer to give them up. I don't know if people think it's fair that I won when I'm dating the boss's son but he assures me that it is because we won fair and square.

Afterwards we eat a really delicious dinner and have some beer around the bonfire. Angela and Ben sit to the side, heads bent towards each other. I can't help but smile at the two of them. Angela is so painfully shy that she hasn't dated in 3 years, since her last big relationship with someone who sounds like a real jerk. Edward talks to George Edmonson and his father for a while so I nurse a beer in the shadows, just observing the people around me. No one has officially paired off, but it's interesting to see who likes who and the effect that has on the people around them. Jasper wanders over to where I'm leaning against the warehouse wall and we strike up a conversation about Emmett and Rosalie's upcoming wedding.

"Out of all my friends, she was the last person I pictured getting engaged and married this quick. If I'm being honest, I pictured that person as Alice."

Jasper laughs, and nods. "I can see that. Not that we haven't talked about it, but she seems to be the one taking her time. I think she's worried about her marriage turning into her parent's." Alice's parents divorced after years of struggle and it was brutal and bitter. They made her choose between them, which was a terrible thing for someone like Alice. Always wanting to please, she ran herself ragged trying to make them each happy until one day, Rose and I had an intervention and told her the only person she needed to worry about was herself. It's been a long time coming, but she finally reached that point.

"I think you really helped her with that," I reply. "She's been a different person since she met you. It's the first time she's been happy thinking about someone else in a long time."

"Well, when it's the right person, it's easy to put them first. At least I feel that way."

"Cheers to that." I agree, tapping my bottle against his.

A few minutes later, Edward comes to meet us. "Sorry for that. They're discussing the new international branch that's opening in England next year. It's going to be a huge deal."

Jasper agrees and asks Edward who he thinks they'll have head up the new office.

"Who knows? It's fair game in my opinion. I just hope it's not me," he admits, ducking his head a little and avoiding my eyes.

"Well if they asked you, would you say no?" I ask, wondering at his reaction. I wouldn't be exactly thrilled to have him move half a world away, but it's such a big opportunity.

"Honestly, I don't know," Edward says, scratching his neck.

"Alice and I have talked about it. She said she'd love to move to England to expand her line. After her show, she had 20 new investors, if you can believe it. It'd be easy to move the market to London." Jasper says, trying to break the tension that's arisen between Edward and me.

"Well whatever happens, it's a big responsibility but would be an honor, I'm sure." I shrug, taking a drink from my bottle and looking out across the dark field nearby.

Edward and Jasper start talking about the current basketball season after that, so I half listen, lost in a world of thought. If I'm being 100% honest with myself, I'd be thrilled for Edward but heartbroken if he left. I don't think I could go with him. All the work I did in school would be for nothing because I don't think I could get a job doing forensics in England. Besides, do I want to move to the other side of the world? I shake my head, coming out of my fog of thoughts as Edward asks if I'm ready to leave.

"My parents left a car for us, so we can leave whenever. It looks like the motor coaches are heading out. It's up to you." He takes my empty bottle, throwing it in the recycling bin next to the pavillion.

Once he mentions going home, I realize how late it's gotten and how tired I am. "Yeah, I think I'm ready," I reply, quietly.

Jasper wishes us a good night and tells us he'll see us tomorrow night before he heads to the buses, climbing on board. As we walk to the car, Edward holds my hand and whistles a song I don't recognize. I look up at the stars, wishing I knew what was in our future. I'm quiet on the drive home, still lost in my thoughts, so I don't realize that we've pulled into Edward's apartment's garage. I'm a little confused before I remember that I agreed to stay the night.

"You're still okay being here tonight, right?" he asks, concern clouding his eyes.

I smile and kiss his cheek. "Of course. I'm glad I can."

We head upstairs and get ready for bed. His curtains are pulled open, so the moon shines through, lighting the bedroom. No more sleeping in the guest room for me. Now our sleepovers are in his or my bedrooms, which I can't complain about at all. Tonight, though, feels different. I feel lost in a haze, thinking too much. I take my time brushing my teeth, washing my face, and combing the knots out of my hair. When there's nothing else to do, I stare at myself in the mirror, willing the small crease between my eyebrows where they're knotted together to go away. I can see the strain in my eyes and I don't want Edward to be worried.

By the time I'm done, Edward is dozing lightly in bed, a book falling from his hand. I pull it out of his hand and set it on the nightstand. Then, kissing him on the forehead I climb in next to him and lie still. He shifts in his sleep, settling next to me, a long leg tangled with mine and his hand resting lightly on my stomach. I can't stop thinking but eventually my thoughts run into each other until they're just a muddy mess and I fall into a restless sleep.

Morning comes too soon and I sleep deep and late. By the time I wake up, Edward has woken up, gone running, showered, and made us breakfast. I find him sitting at the table on his balcony, breakfast waiting to be eaten, reading the book he was last night. I look like a mess - dark circles underneath my eyes and my hair in a tangled swirl. I try to finger comb it into some semblance of order and he pulls me into his lap.

"What's wrong pretty girl? You look like you've got a million things going on in there," he says, tapping my temple with his index finger.

I sigh and examine a torn cuticle on my hand before I answer. "I don't know. Just have a lot on my mind I suppose."

"Are you worried about England?" he asks, slipping a piece of melon into his mouth.

I do the same, chewing thoughtfully to avoid answering.

"I'll take that as a yes," Edward says, quietly.

I sigh again. "It's not that I wouldn't support you. You know I would. I just worry what it will do to this." I gesture between us. "I would miss you so much."

"Let's just cross that bridge _if_ we get to it," he responds, hugging me to him and kissing my shoulder. I can't stop the swirl of butterflies that rush through my stomach and straight into my heart when he does that and I don't even try. We eat a leisurely breakfast and spend the rest of the day in our pajamas, watching movies and lounging around.

Around 5, Alice comes by to pick me up to get read for the cocktail party. The three of us girls decided to get ready together since it's been a while that we've done that. We head to Rose's apartment and get ready. Alice gave me a dress that she made just for me as a thank you for being in her show and she's so excited for me to wear it tonight. It's black leather with a handpainted floral pattern on it. I would be nervous to wear a leather dress to a cocktail party, but it's got such a girly cut and she provided some cute pink shoes to wear with it too.

We get ready in Rose's massive bathroom and then Alice and I get dressed in Rose's bedroom while she gets dressed in her closet. Alice looks adorable in a black velvet mini with some fuschia accessories and sky high heels. After we dress, we wait for Rose in the living room. She comes out in a very demure green lace dress with some delicate gold jewelry. It's such a tame look for her that we're both a little shocked. She looks lovely but toned down from how she normally dresses.

"Shut up. I know what you're both thinking. But we're going to meet Emmett's sister and mother for dinner after the party and I want to look ladylike, not like a party girl." She waves her hand at us, dismissing our shocked faces.

"No, no. You look beautiful!" Alice cries. Rose just rolls her eyes and tells us that it's time to leave. We grab our coats and walk outside where a stretch limo waits for us. The three boys are inside, dressed in snazzy suits. We head to the party which is being held at the W Hotel downtown. It's a really nice, super modern hotel and I'm excited to check out the inside.

We arrive at the party, but before we go inside, Edward has a bag boy grab 6 suitcases from the back of the car. He speaks to him briefly before steering me inside the building.

"What was that all about?" I ask.

Winking he tells me I'll find out later and we head into the party. It's beautiful inside, with sleek tables that hold amazing flower arrangements. It's dim and surprisingly sexy. There are a few seating areas set up, made semi-private by hanging drapery and lighting. Low music plays and waiters are passing around drinks on trays. Edward grabs each of us a flute of champagne and then we walk over to the small seating area where our friends are waiting, munching on horderves.

"Can you believe this place?" Rose asks. "This is perfect for our wedding. It's beautiful!"

Emmett nods and kisses her hand. "Anything you want baby."

"Aw, thanks baby," she replies, kissing him passionately. I clear my throat and they pull away. Edward seems to have the same idea; he rolls his eyes at me when they scowl in our direction. Esme and Carlisle come over, looking amazing as usual. Tagging along behind them is Mr. Edmonson and his wife, and Timothy Price, the third in the founding partnership.

Carlisle introduces us, "This is my son Edward Cullen, whom you've met before. His lovely girlfriend Bella is seated beside him. She also works at the firm as an administrative assistant. Jasper Whitlock is another one of our rising stars. He's been involved in the Demille case."

The partners both nod and congratulate Jasper on his recent victory with the case in question. Carlisle continues, "I apologize, but I don't know these three."

Edward takes over the introductions at this point, "This is Alice Brandon, Jasper's girlfriend. Emmett McCarty and Rosalie Hale are engaged. They're good friends of ours. Alice runs A Plus, a clothing store downtown, and has her own clothing line. I recently invested in it myself. Rosalie does public relations for Shoestring Entertainment and Emmett does public relations for the San Francisco 49ers."

We all stand and shake hands with the partners. They talk to Jasper and Edward about the England office for a while. I start to feel that knot begin to grow in my stomach at the mention of it. Alice scoots over to me and leans in close. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. Jasper doesn't think that Edward would leave you behind if he got the job. I don't either. He loves you Bella. He wants you near him, all the time." She puts an arm around me, hugging me to her. I smile at her, thankful for her ability to read my moods. "Let's go dance now," she says loudly, pulling me up with her. We dance our way to the dancefloor in the middle of the room and let go, dancing to the beat. While we dance, I see Edward sneaking glances my way. I smirk, and toss my hair over my shoulder, shimmying around Alice in an attempt to continue distracting him.

Suddenly, he interrupts his conversation with Jasper and the partners, and walks my way briskly. "May I cut in?" he asks Alice. She giggles and nods, moving aside. Edward pulls me to him, moving gracefully. I'm sure, without a doubt, he looks better than me. But I'm having so much fun that I ignore that and just keep dancing anyway. After a few minutes, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose join us as well. We dance for so long, my feet begin to ache and I beg to sit down for a minute. I leave the rest of the group behind and head back to where we were sitting before. Edward follows behind, carrying a bottle of water to me.

"Thanks," I say gratefully. I down half the bottle in one pull and then give it back so he can have some too.

"What do you say we get out of here?" he asks, nuzzling my exposed shoulder.

I giggle and ask, "Where to?"

"I'll show you." With that he takes my hand and pulls me up from the couch we're sitting on. He waves at our group and they waive back, Rose and Alice with big grins on their faces and Emmett making crude air-humping gestures at us. Rose notices him and slaps his shoulder forcefully. He scowls and I laugh at his reaction.

Edward heads to the reception desk and speaks in a low voice to the girl at the computer. She smiles and flirts, leaning her obviously fake breasts against the counter to show him a map, circling something for him, before she hands him an envelope. He smiles tightly at her, and then pulls me to the side. "My wife and I would like a bottle of red wine sent up, along with your dessert sampler and a cheese tray. That's all we'll need tonight."

He snatches the envelope from her outstretched hand and I smirk at the look of shock on her face. Together we head to the bank of elevators nearby and wait for one to arrive. Once we're inside, he presses the button for the 31st floor and the doors close. As soon as they're shut, he leans against me. "I hope that didn't startle you too much."

I can hardly think with him leaning into me, pressing light kisses down my jaw and onto my neck. "What are you talking about?" I ask, breathlessly.

He chuckles low in his throat - a sound somewhere between a full laugh and a growl - and I feel goosebumps break out across my skin. "Calling you my wife," he says against my neck.

"Oh..." I can't even speak at this point. I pull him closer to me, sliding a hand down his back and tugging his shirt tails out of his pants. I slip it underneath, feeling the muscles contract as the cool air hits his skin. "I didn't mind."

The elevator dings, announcing our arrival, and Edward reluctantly leans back, smoothing my hair away from my face. "Good. Because... well maybe someday it'll be true." He kisses me one last time before pulling back completely and taking my hand. We walk down the hall and he stops at the end. Slipping a keycard from the envelope he got at reception, he pushes it into the lock and opens the door. I gasp a little at the room he's rented for us for the night. It's massive, with wide windows overlooking the city. The lights are low and candles are providing most of the light in the room. I walk from the living room to the bedroom where our bags are sitting on a luggage rack, waiting to be unpacked.

"Did Alice help you with this again?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, but I told her to be extra careful in picking out something for tonight," he smirks.

A knock suddenly interrupts us and Edward goes to answer it. While he's gone, I open my bag and look inside. There is an outfit for tomorrow, but the rest is skimpy lingerie and underwear and I laugh because I know what Alice is going for. I pull out a thin purple nightie - it's silk, with a low back and thin straps. A small slit along the leg is covered in grey lace. I decide to wear this for the night. I walk to the bathroom and slip my dress off, hanging it on a hanger and placing that on the hook on the back of the door. I put the nightie on and look in the mirror, fluffing my hair and making sure I look okay. I hear the front door close and take that as my sign.

Walking out the door, I head into the bedroom and perch myself on the end of the bed. I try to look seductive, but I feel a little silly. All the doubts I have fly out of my head, however, when Edward walks through the door. He's holding two glasses of wine and nearly drops them as he sees me.

"Wow. You look..." he breaks off. Quickly setting the glasses down on the dresser nearby, he strides to me quickly, pushing me down onto the bed and kissing me hard. Once he holds me close like that, I forget everything else going on in my life and let myself go. Tonight is no exception.


	16. Chapter 16

11

AN: Sorry everybody. This story is just taking so long to get through. I mean, I know where I want it to end but I feel like I have all these extra roads to go down to get there. So it's going to pick up the next couple of chapters and then it will be over I anticipate maybe 4-5 more chapters, then maybe an epilogue. If this bums you out, I'm sad/glad for you, because it means you liked it! But I am in the middle of my first novel (for real) and this story is giving me major writer's block with that. If I'm being 100% honest, that novel has to come before this story. So I'm taking a hiatus from my novel to finish this story up. Then maybe I'll be back later with another story. Thanks for all your support and sticking with me. Even if you don't review, it makes me feel good to know that at least one or two people have been reading and like what I've written. It gives me confidence to finish my novel.

_****Stephanie Meyer owns all... bladdiy blah. You better know the drill by now.****_

Before I knew it, Halloween had come and gone. The six of us spent it at a crazy costume ball that Alice heard about. It was held in an old mansion on the outskirts of the city and was a Great Gatsby themed party which Alice and Rose had a blast getting ready for. Edward looked fantastic in a tux and I loved the gold dress Alice picked out for me. That night he asked me what kind of wedding ring I thought I'd like. I told him something vintage and secretly started a wedding Pinterest board. This move forward in our relationship helped to ease my mind about his potential move to London.

As we moved further into November, we started making plans for Thanksgiving. My parents were heading to Florida for 3 weeks for the holiday and so I was planning on spending it with Edward and his parents. His parents always have a big dinner and invited me to come this year. Since it's such a large meal, they told Edward to invite whoever he wanted to he extended the invitation to Emmett and Rosalie and Jasper and Alice. Unfortunately, Emmett and Rose had to back out because his mom wanted them home this year.

About a week from Thanksgiving, Edward logs me out early and tells me we're taking an extended business lunch. I roll my eyes but play along - this is his way of relaxing when he's overly stressed. I smooth my down my orange dress and slip my trench over my arms and follow him to the elevator. While we wait for the elevator, he plays with the gold signet ring I wear on my left hand. It's a family heirloom with a big 'S' engraved on it. He's extra fidgety today I notice.

"You look good with a ring on this finger," he says, kissing my hand as we make our way onto the elevator. His dad is inside and chuckles at the two of us.

"Working hard I see," Carlisle says, giving me a small grin.

I blush and open my mouth to respond but Edward speaks before I can say anything. "Oh we have a business lunch with a very important client."

Edward and Carlisle exchange a look I can't quite interpret. "Oh yes, I did hear about that. Well have a good lunch." He gets off at his floor and we ride the rest of the way in silence. When we get outside, I find there is a Town Car waiting for us and we climb inside.

After Edward gives the driver the address, I ask, "Where are we going?"

He grins at me and says, "It's a surprise."

I ask him about Thanksgiving traditions and we start discussing them. "I wouldn't worry about getting dressed up for dinner. I know my parents make everything a big deal, but we're pretty casual. We'll all end up napping in the family room after dinner anyway." He tells me about how he ate half a turkey when he was fifteen and that he was sick the rest of the day. I tell him about my family's traditional butternut squash casserole.

"You should bring that, for sure," he says, rubbing his stomach in anticipation. We continue on this vein until the car comes to a stop. I don't recognize the building but we're in a swanky part of town. The brownstone in front of us is tall and red brick with and old wrought iron gate in front. It looks old and is beautiful. Edward helps me out of the car and we walk together to the gate, hand in hand.

"I don't want you to get nervous, but I really wanted to get your opinion on something," he says, although I still have no idea what we're here for. I just nod and watch Edward buzz someone on the intercom.

"Edward Cullen. I have an appointment," he says into the box.

"Yes, come right in," a kind British voice replies.

Edward pushes the gate open and we head up the steps to the front door of the building. The door opens just as we get to the top and a girl about my age holds the door open for us. "Come right in." She ushers us in, shutting the door on the slightly blustery day outside and smiles warmly. "Would you like something to drink? Water, tea, coffee?"

"Nothing for me, thank you," Edward replies.

"I'll have some tea," I respond, smiling back at the girl.

"I'm Lina. I'll fetch that tea and let Mr. Fredricks know you're here." She takes our coats from us, hanging them in a coat closet nearby and then leads us into a small sitting room to the right of the foyer. I glance around at the beautifully decorated room. It's done tastefully in dark woods and rich jewel tones that fit the era of the building.

Together we sit on a small loveseat and I place my bag on the ground near my feet. I sit a respectable distance from Edward with the expectations that we're here for work. Instead, he slides closer to me, pulling my hand into his where it rests on his leg. A leg which is also bouncing up and down very nervously. I press my palm against his thigh, willing him to stop.

"Is everything okay?" I whisper.

He gives me a small, but not convincing smile. "Sure. Well, it will be. Don't worry. There's nothing wrong."

I shrug and turn away to continue my inspection of the room. When he's ready to tell me what's going on, he'll get on with it. If there is one thing I've learned since we started dating, it's that he can't be forced into giving up information he's not ready to yet. He plays his cards close to the vest. That's one thing that makes him such a great lawyer. After a few minutes, Lina comes back with a beautiful tea service. She sets it on the low table in front of us and asks if she'd like me to have her serve.

"No thank you," I smile and reach for the pot. I pour myself a cup and add a healthy amount of sugar. While I sip my tea, Edward grabs some shortbread from the tray and bites into it. Suddenly, he stands and paces in front of the fireplace nearby. I can't figure out his weird behavior so I just keep drinking my tea and slump against the back of the loveseat, feeling myself start to get frustrated.

Just then, an older gentleman in an impeccable gray suit and an almost comical white moustache appears in the doorway. "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. I hope you weren't here long. I'm John Fredricks"

Edward looks relieved and walks over to the door to shake hands with the man. "No, not at all. I'm Edward and this is Bella."

I set my empty teacup and saucer on the table and stand, straightening my dress and picking up my bag. I slip it over my arm and walk to Edward's side to shake Mr. Fredricks' hand.

"My, you are lovely," he says, then turns to Edward. "You are very lucky."

Edward's cheeks redden and he grins, "I really am."

I'm still confused what we're doing here because Edward is not in work mode. Mr. Fredricks leads us upstairs to a set of locked doors. Pulling a key from his vest pocket, he unlocks them and holds them open for us. When we walk inside, I gasp at the sight. Row upon row of glass cases shine underneath beautifully lit chandeliers. Each holds different kinds of jewelry - vintage (or vintage inspired) necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches. He leads us towards the back of the room where 3 cases sit on the outside edges of a low platform. We walk up the two steps to the top of the platform and I realize why we're here.

Each of the 3 cases is filled with beautiful engagement rings. My head feels light and my stomach is filled with butterflies at what I see. I stay back a couple of steps from Edward and Mr. Fredricks and try to calm down.

_Am I ready for this?_ I think to myself. Yes, I've spent the last two weeks or so planning a wedding but am I really ready for this commitment. Edward seems to sense my hesitation because he tells Mr. Fredricks that he'll be right back and walks over to my side.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" he asks, wrapping his hand around mine and squeezing gently. "This isn't a proposal. It's a place holder. I want an idea of what you like, so when the time is right, I can get you the perfect ring."

His words help calm my racing heart and I smile up at him before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Sorry I freaked out a little. I was just taken by surprise. I didn't think we were ready for this."

"Don't worry. I know we're not to that point yet. But I want to be ready when we are." He kisses me lightly on the lips before tucking my hand underneath his arm and walking together to where Mr. Fredricks patiently waits for us.

"Well I can see that you fancy gold, young lady," he says, indicating the jewelry I'm wearing. I nod at him, glancing into the case where a large selection of platinum engagement rings twinkle up at me. "Let's head over to this case and I'll show you our selection of yellow and rose gold rings. Those are more what you're looking for."

He asks me about cut, size, clarity - several things I don't have answers for at the moment. Edward tells him that it doesn't matter what the cost is - he wants what I like. I try on a bunch of rings, including some in white gold and platinum. Each is beautiful in it's own way but many are far too large or gaudy for my tastes.

I frown at Edward after trying on the 30th ring that Mr. Fredricks shows me. "I don't know what I want."

Mr. Fredricks laughs quietly. "I do believe that's the first time I've heard a young lady say that. It seems most come in with a wish list a mile long."

"Don't worry if we don't find it today. I don't want you to feel rushed," Edward reassures me. I feel a knot in my chest growing with each ring I turn down. Just as I start to feel hopeless, I see a ring in the very back of the case that catches my eye. It's rose gold with a round cut diamond in the middle.

"Can I see that one?" I point it out to Mr. Fredricks.

He makes a surprised face but pulls it from it's cushion. "This is a 1 carat round cut diamond, set in an Art Deco era rose gold halo setting. The band is adorned with smaller round cut diamonds. It's very lovely, very tasteful. But, it's been here for ages. Perhaps waiting for you." He hands it to me and I slip it onto my finger. Instantly I can see myself wearing this day in and day out. I sigh happily. Edward looks at me, then at Mr. Fredricks, and then back at me with an expectant look on his face.

"I have never seen a young lady make a connection with a ring quite like that before," Mr. Fredricks comments. "I believe she found the one."

"Edward, it's perfect," I breath, holding my hand closer to my face to see all the details. It sparkles in the bright lights and I wish I didn't have to take it off. Edward is right though - we're not quite ready to take this step. I reluctantly take it off and set it back down on the glass counter.

"Are you sure that's what you like?" Edward asks, his eyes shining with happiness.

"Yes, definitely yes." I look at Mr. Fredricks and he gives me a smile and a wink.

"Shall I draw up the paperwork?" he asks Edward.

"We're actually just looking for the time being - trying to get a feel for what this one likes." He gestures at me. "Bella, will you excuse us a moment?" Edward asks. I walk a short distance away and look at some brooches in a nearby case. Edward and Mr. Fredricks murmur to each other for several minutes before they come to an agreement. Smiling at each other, they shake hands and then walk towards me.

"It's been lovely to meet you Bella," Mr. Fredricks says as we shake hands once we get downstairs and have our coats on.

Edward puts his arm around my shoulders and tucks me into his side, kissing my temple. "Thank you so much for everything." He shakes Mr. Fredricks hand as well and we head out into the heavy rain that snuck up while we were inside.

I pull my cell phone from my purse to check the time; we've been inside for over an hour and a half. I'm surprised that it was that long as it seemed to go by so quickly. "What do you say we get some lunch - seriously this time - and then head back?" Edward asks as we wait underneath the porch awning for our car to arrive.

"That sounds great. I'm starved." I slip my arms around his waist, underneath his jacket, and feel the muscles tense beneath the thin material of his dress shirt. Smiling against his shoulder, I can't believe that things have worked out this great with Edward. He's more than I could have ever hoped for. "What sounds good?" I ask.

Our car pulls up then and we climb inside, laughing at the rain that falls from our hair and noses in the short distance from the door to the car. Edward mulls over my question for a moment before answering, "Steak." He gives the address to a fancy restaurant called Harris' and the driver heads in that direction. As we drive, Edward asks me about our experience today. "I didn't scare you too much, did I?"

I shake my head. "No. I mean, yes at first I was kind of thrown. But once I realized we were just looking, I felt more sure of myself. I love you, and I want to marry you - someday. That ring was beautiful. I have to admit, I might be a little disappointed to not get that one." I tease him, tickling his ribs lightly.

Edward laughs and squirms away. "I'll keep that in mind." With that, he kisses me deeply. Out of the corner of my eye, I see our driver smile in the rearview mirror before turning back to the road. Between the warm interior of the car, Edward's arms, and the rain streaming down the windows, I feel exceptionally cozy.

"I wish we could spend the rest of the day back here," I say to Edward.

He raises and eyebrow and replies, "Back here? But we'd get so cramped after a while." As if to prove his point, he tries to stretch his long legs out and ends up accidentally kicking the back of the driver's chair. "Oh sorry about that Ernest," he says sheepishly.

"No harm done Mr. Cullen," he says, laughing. "You two seem like you had a nice time at your appointment. It's too early to give my congratulations, right?"

"Yes. Much too early," I respond, giggling lightly.

After lunch, we head back to the office and finish up our days. Edward is preparing for a pretty big case so we plan on working late the next several days before taking a four day weekend for Thanksgiving.

Each night we end up sprawled on the floor of his office going through his case files, records, and doing research on our laptops. Chinese food becomes our staple, and by the time Wednesday night rolls around, I can't stand the sight of chow mein.

"I'm so glad we aren't having Chinese tomorrow," I say as I stand up and stretch my back. It's around 10 pm and we're calling it a night. Edward looks exhausted and I can't help but feel a little sorry that all our time has been spent prepping the last few little while. I guess it's all part of the game.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" he asks, looking up at me from his spot on the floor. His shoes are lost somewhere in the mess and his jacket was abandoned to the edge of the couch hours ago. I can't help but giggle at the sight of him all in disarray.

"Of course. Do you need to pick anything up from your house?" I ask as I help him to his feet.

"No, I'll just grab some clean clothes on the way to my parents tomorrow. I can shower at your house in the morning." He stacks his folders neatly on the edge of his desk, closes his laptop and stores it and some more sensitive files in a safe near his desk before he spins the lock and double checking it won't open. He finds his shoes - one under his desk and one in the corner of his office behind a plant - and slips them on before doing the same with his suit jacket and coat. As we head out, I grab my own things from my desk and we walk in the quiet darkness of the office to the elevator bank.

When we get back to my place, I decide to shower so my hair can dry overnight. Edward sits on my bed, flipping through the channels on the TV. When my shower is done, I come out in a pair of yoga pants and a light tank top to Edward snoring on my bed, fully dressed. I smile and pull his shoes from his feet before tucking the blanket around him and climbing in the other side. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep with him next to me.

*_James's POV*_

_After that stupid fashion show my girl had been in, I'd been trying to keep better tabs on her. She looked stunning in the white dress with red feathers. After the show was done, I snuck backstage and watched her change out of the dress, surrounded by mindless airheads and her annoying, yappy friend with the short boyish hair. Later, when backstage had vacated, I stole some of the feathers from the bottom of the dress as well as the pair of panties she had worn underneath the gown. No one would miss them. Then I watched her fawn over her pretty boy, Edward. He is nothing compared to me. After what he did to me, he deserves to lose this gorgeous creature. _

_She'll thank me in the long run. _

_Since then, I took an indefinite leave of absence from work. I cut my hair and dyed it brown. She seems to like brown hair better than blonde. I left the apartment listed under my name and stayed in one of my others. This one was closer to her anyway - only a few blocks away. I could easily come and go without drawing too much attention to myself. The colder weather was making this easier as well. I could wear hats, scarves, and jackets to cover myself up without anyone thinking I was strange or out of place. _

_I started following her to work - from another taxi, of course. I memorized her schedule. I ate in the restaurants she ate in, ordered the same thing she ordered, even tried to sit in the booths that she had recently vacated. One afternoon, I tried to get into her building but I realized my photo had been tacked up at the security desk. I hid out at the coffee stand near the entrance until I felt like I could leave without arousing suspicion. _

_That day I cut and dyed my hair, growing my facial hair out until I had a nice amount of scruff to help obscure my features. I never walked back into the office building. But I knew it was just a matter of time before I made her mine. _

_Watching her climb the stairs of her house with him tonight, giggling and flirting, made me sick. I clenched my fist and forced myself to stay still in the trees at the small park across from her house. I feel the adrenaline welling inside me, ready to burn through my veins. If only I could let it out. I'd destroy his smug smile. I'd make him stop laughing and smirking and taking everything that I cared about. _

_Bella and I connected. I know she felt something for me. Now if I only she could show it. _

_Soon._

_Soon._

*Bella's POV*

Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and cold. I stretch and realize it's late morning but no phone call has come in from Edward's family, so we must be fine to get there on time. I climb out of bed, trying not to disturb Edward while he continues to sleep. Heading to the bathroom, I quickly put some makeup on and brush through my sleep tangled hair. A few waves came out during the night, so I add a few more curls with my curling iron and then pin the front back from my face.

Afterwards I quietly enter my closet and pull out the outfit I'd set aside. I slip on some black pants with leather panels on the side, a cozy sweater, and some soft blue loafers. By the time I'm finished dressing and have put on my jewelry, Edward has woken up and is watching me quietly from the bed.

"Good morning sleepy head," I say before leaning down to give him a light kiss. "You should probably get up soon. We need to be to your parent's in less than an hour."

He groans. "Can't we spend Thanksgiving in your bed? I'll make you a turkey sandwich and everything."

I grab a pillow and hit him with it. "No way Jose. Especially because I'm 99% sure your mom stayed up most of the night slaving away. Get your sexy ass in gear."

At that, he climbs out of bed, making it with a glare in my direction. He slips his clothes back on that he took off sometime during the night and follows me downstairs. I grab the casserole I prepared the morning before from the fridge and my bag from where it sits on the kitchen counter. Together, we walk out to where his car is parked just down the street. He opens the door for me and then takes the casserole dish from my hands so I can get inside.

We drive towards his house so he can get changed quickly and listen to soft Christmas music pouring from his speakers. "I can't believe they're already playing Christmas music. Not that I'm complaining. But it seems like this year has flown by." Edward nods his agreement before pulling my fingers to his lips. Once we get to his building, he runs upstairs to change. He's back within a few minutes and we head towards his parents. He looks delicious, if not a little tired, in some jeans and a nice button up and cardigan sweater. I lean over the console and nuzzle his neck, breathing in his cologne.

We pull up to his parent's just as Jasper and Alice get there. Before Jasper's car is even fully stopped, Alice comes bounding out towards us. Edward shouts in surprise as she runs straight towards our still moving car and slams on his brakes.

"What are you doing?" I yell as I open my window. "You realize both cars were still in motion, right?"

"Oh bah!" Alice replies. "I don't care about stuff like that." She pulls my door open and grabs the dish from me. Dancing towards the door, she calls to Jasper to remember the gifts and then rings the doorbell.

Esme and Carlisle usher everyone inside and together we finish preparing the meal and getting the table ready. It's a big affair but laid back like Edward says. Esme's food is to die for. I eat way too much and find myself having trouble staying awake as we sit in companionable silence after dinner is through, picking at the last bits of pie on our plates.

"Come on gorgeous," Edward says, pulling me out of my chair. "Let's go take a nap. You guys can come, too." He shows Alice and Jasper the living room where we all claim a spot on the various couches or seats scattered throughout. I wind up on the floor near the fireplace with a pillow beneath my head.

"We should help clean up," I say, yawning.

"We will," Edward replies, kissing my forehead gently. Within minutes, I'm asleep. By the time I wake up, the kitchen and dining room are spotless and our group has joined Esme and Carlisle in the rec room downstairs to play games.

I scowl at Edward and ask him why he didn't wake me. "You looked so peaceful." He gives me his seat and goes to find another chair. We play games well into the night, stopping only to eat leftovers as we go. The rest of the weekend is much of the same - spending time together alone and with Edward's family. I can't help but feel incredibly blessed for the family I've been able to inherit. I email my mom and dad who are having a ball in Florida and they let me know as much. It doesn't seem like they miss me from the outside, but from the tone of my dad's response, he wants me nearby.

The only mar to an otherwise perfect holiday weekend is when I go home Friday evening to grab some clean clothes for Saturday and can't locate my signet ring. I look all over for it - even down the kitchen disposal, even though I never wear jewelry while I do the dishes. When I can't locate it, I feel incredibly sad but chalk it up to being irresponsible and a little scatterbrained lately. I figure I must have left it at the jewelers and make a note to call them on Monday. If it's not there, I can't figure out where else it would be.

_*James's POV*_

_Getting into my Bella's house is easier than I thought it would be and I can't help but laugh at the circumstances. That Edward thinks a couple of extra locks and a security system can keep me away from the person I love. It's really a little pathetic._

_I know they'll be gone a while because it's Thanksgiving and everyone is spending time with their families. So I take my time going through her house, trying to be careful not to muss anything too bad. I wind my way through her living room and kitchen, touching the handles on her appliances and taking a long draw from an opened bottle of wine I find in her fridge. I can feel her in everything around me. I make my way upstairs to where a guest bedroom is. It doesn't feel like her - I can tell she doesn't spend much time in this room. Down the hall, the master bedroom door is open slightly. _

_Bingo. This is the motherload. Everything in this room screams her name to me from the soft white bedding, to the scent in the air. I dig through a jewelry box on the dresser near her television and find a gold ring with an S engraved on it's face. It's pure Bella and I slip it in my pocket for safekeeping. Once we're together, she'll be glad to know I kept it safe for her. _

_I lie down on her bed, shoving my face against her pillow. The one on the right smells just like her - sunny and sweet and beautiful. The one on the left smells off. It smells like a mixture of her and… cologne. I throw the offending pillow down to the floor and lie for several more minutes before I start to feel myself drift off. Not wanting to spoil my surprise by being here when she arrives home, I force my eyes open and the daydream of her into the back of my mind. Standing, I straighten the bedcovers and place the discarded pillow back to it's rightful place on the bed. _

_I look through her bedside table and find a treasure trove of keepsakes just waiting for me. A photograph of her with her two friends in a delicate glass picture frame is perfect for my collection and I stick that into my jacket pocket to take home with me. After exploring her bathroom and taking a small travel bottle of her favorite perfume, I enter her large walk-in closet. To the left of the door, there is a small bureau. I open the top drawer and my jaw drops. It's full of lace and silk lingerie. This has gone even better than I expected. Digging into the back of the drawer I find a soft silk tank top and matching pair of shorts. Folding them up, I add them to the other things I've collected. _

_Breathing deeply, I decide I've spent enough time in here for now and I don't want to risk being caught. I make sure everything is neat and in order before walking back downstairs. After I hook-up her security system again, I slip out the back door, locking it behind me. Then I slide between the fence slats and into the alley nearby where my motorcycle waits, hidden behind a dumpster. I'll come back again soon, when I know I'll have the place to myself. _

_Maybe then it will be time to put my plans into motion. _


	17. Chapter 17

6

AN: I had a couple requests for an Edward POV to explain why he was such a beast to Bella when they first met. So here it is! Anymore requests, let me know. XXXO!

Oh and I realize that UCLA doesn't offer a major in Criminal Justice. So sue me… ok please don't. But I just picked a California school at random and.. well the rest is history.

*_**Stephanie Meyer owns all (ok… most) of these characters. I'm just borrowing them…***_

***Edwards POV - 9(ish) months earlier***

"Edward, you need to find an assistant. You're going to go crazy without someone to help keep you organized. Trust me." Jasper pours himself another whiskey and pushes the bottle my way.

We're currently nursing our drinks in the bar I'm partner in. I roll my eyes at the sign hanging behind the bar - Jam Caddy is a ridiculous name in my opinion. But it's somehow taken off and people like the small, hipster looking bar. I like the atmosphere myself; I had a lot of input in the design and decor of the place. But I don't get the name.

"I know I need an assistant. My dad keeps harassing me about it. But who has time to find and train someone? And what if I hire someone who turns out incompetent? I don't have time to deal with that," I reply, taking a long pull from my glass.

"You just lay down the law Edward. And if they're no good, you'll find another one. But you're quickly getting more and more demands on your time and sooner or later, you're going to wish you had someone to help with the workload. At least with the little things you don't have time to do. I'd never give up Edith. She's a lifesaver." Edith is Jasper's assistant. She's in her mid-to-late 50s, smart, nice, and, most importantly, extremely efficient. She works late when needed, helps him keep his schedule in order, keeps annoying clients out of his hair, and picks up all his necessities. I can see where he's getting at.

"Okay. I'll start interviewing people next Wednesday. I'll go through all the applications this weekend."

*_One Week Later*_

"Mr. Cullen," my phone's intercom beeps to life. "Your 10 am appointment is here. It's a Miss Isabella Swan, here to interview for the assistant position."

I stand quickly, straightening my tie and slipping my suit jacket back on. "Send her in," I respond. While I wait for her knock, I straighten the mess of folders and notepads on my desk and hope I don't look too scatterbrained. After I pull her application and resume from the stack on my fax machine, I put my game face on. So far, none of the applicants I've interviewed have shown any promise and I'm losing patience. I'm about ready to have my dad pick someone for me and just go with it. We'll see if this girl is any better.

I hear a timid knock at my door and I stride to open it. At first look, I'm shocked. I hope the surprise doesn't show on my face. She looks much younger than I was expecting, not to mention more striking. Her soft brown eyes and hair framing her heart-shaped face give off an impression of meekness that I'm drawn to immediately. "Please come in." I gesture to a chair in front of my desk and indicate that she should take a seat.

Primly, she sits, setting her bag on the ground and smoothing her skirt over her slim legs. I can't help but give her a once over, sure I'm a sexual harassment lawsuit just waiting to happen. She's slim but somehow curvy at the same time and the blouse she's wearing leaves nothing to the imagination. It's tasteful but she's definitely all woman underneath. She clears her throat, interrupting my musing.

"Well, I'm Bella Swan. It's great to meet you." She rises slightly from her chair to shake my hand.

"You too, Miss Swan." I clear my throat and look over her resume to remind myself of her qualifications. "I see here you majored in forensic science?"

She nods, biting her lip. Her eyes flicker away from my face to the scene outside my window for a brief moment. "Yes, that's correct. I have always been interested in the criminal justice field. My father was a police officer."

"And what made you decide to apply for a position as an administrative assistant?" I ask, curious about her answer. We're a law firm, so obviously deal a lot with criminal law, but the jump from a forensic scientist to an assistant at a law firm is pretty big.

"If I'm being completely honest, jobs in my chosen field are harder to find than I had anticipated. I'm not in a place in my life quite yet to relocate to somewhere better suited to my field. So I've been looking for jobs here in the city that will help me get to that point. Naturally, I felt that a job working in a law firm that deals in criminal law would be useful. My friend, Jessica, works at an advertising firm a few floors down and had heard of the opening. That's why I applied." Bella coughs into her fist lightly, her face growing red.

"Of course, that being said, I'm more than qualified for this position. I'm a very hard worker, great at taking direction, good at time management, and I can work on my own well. I have extensive knowledge regarding criminal law, so I can assist in that area as well as any other. I've worked in the administrative field for a police department, as a court secretary, as well as in my university's dean's office. I have several references for you, if you need them." She pulls a sheet of paper from her bag, handing it to me.

I look over her list, impressed at what she has to offer - the Dean of Criminal Justice at UCLA, Police Chief of Forks police department, and 3 Criminal Justice professors, along with a girl named Alice Brandon who owns A Plus clothing downtown. I set the paper down and clasp my hands on the desk in front of me. "So, what would you say is your biggest strength?"

Bella looks thoughtful for a moment. "I would say my biggest strength is also my biggest weakness. I know that sounds cliche, but there you go. I will work myself to the bone to get something done. It's a good quality to have, but creates a strain on other parts of my life, namely personal relationships. Also, I am a good problem solver. I enjoy figuring out solutions and shortcuts to make lives and work situations easier."

"What's your opinion on personal calls and time off?" I ask. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other - if people are getting their work done, and it's done right and well, I don't care if they take a million personal calls a day. Time off is the same. Take a week off - as long as I'm taken care of.

"I follow whatever policy is set forth by the company or employer I work for. But I don't abuse that time either. If I have work to do, I'll stay until it is done. I don't like leaving things unfinished, unless there was an emergency of some sort, I guess."

I nod. That answer is about what I'm looking for. "Well, I'm not going to lie. You'll be working long hours sometimes. I'll need someone who can be on call a night if needed. You'll be in charge of my business and personal schedule, running errands for me as needed, accompanying me to meetings and events, occasionally court, and screening my phone calls. You may also be required for research on cases. Oh, and I'll need you for assistance in responding to emails and letters as needed. Here's a more detailed job description you can read over in your spare time. Can you start Monday?"

She looks surprised. "That's it? I'm hired?"

"Yes, Miss Swan, you're hired. We'll need you to fill out some paperwork and do a mandatory drug test, but I'm assuming there shouldn't be any problems with either of those." I can't help but smile at her shock.

"Wow. Well that was unexpected. I didn't think you'd hire me on the spot." Bella stands and shakes my hand before placing the job description in her bag and picking it up from it's place next to her chair.

I walk her out of my office and show her the desk she'll be at. "Feel free to bring a few personal items to settle in. On Monday, I'll have IT get your computer all set up and then you can meet with HR to set up your employee file and payroll information. I'll see you then." With that, I indicate the exit and turn on my heel back to my office.

When I get back to my office, I shut the door behind me and breath a sigh of relief at her absence. While she is infinitely more (over) qualified and competent than any of the other applicants, I can't help but feel like she's trouble. I attribute this to the fact that not only is she smart (which is admittedly a little intimidating) but that she's insanely beautiful. Throughout the interview, I found myself more and more attracted to her with each answer.

I determined right then and there that I needed to put a stop to these feelings. Not only were they completely unprofessional and inappropriate but would only get in the way of both of our professional goals. Plus, she probably has a boyfriend. At that thought, I shake my head. _I'm losing it_ I think to myself. I pick up her file, slipping the reference sheet into it, and place it in my outbox for the mail guy to pick up and bring to HR. Then I force her out of my mind and get to work.

The next evening, I'm hanging out with Emmett and I tell him about my predicament with Bella.

He seems to be half listening until I get to her description. "Dude, she sounds hot." He raises his beer bottle to me. "I say tap that. Get her out of your system."

"You do realize I'm a lawyer, working in a law firm, right? Just thinking that is enough to get my ass sued for sexual harassment." I groan and rub my temples.

"Then the only thing you can do is treat her like a guy. Just pretend she's one of the boys. Or better yet, be a dick to her. Just do that and you'll be able to keep her at arms length. Believe me, she won't try to get with a guy who treats her so bad. I mean, keep it reasonable. But don't make her job too easy or anything," he says, clapping me on the back. "I feel ya though. That would suck."

I have to admit, he's got something there. I decide that night that I'm going with that plan. If I just act cold towards her, she'll get the hint and I won't have to worry about her misunderstanding any of my actions. I don't have to be rude. But I'll be business like and cool and ignore any sort of feelings I might have towards her that don't fit those parameters. This is how I stay one step ahead in the game.

_*6 Months Later*_

"Don't you think you're being a little bit… I don't know… harsh?" Jasper asks as we dig into our food. "I mean, Bella's a strong willed girl, but I'm sure your behavior towards her is wearing a little."

I clear my throat and take a sip of water. "I don't know. I have all these feelings about her. I really want to know who she is, where she's from, what her dreams are. But I can't because I'm her boss. This is so messed up." Admitting it to Jasper makes me feel even more hopeless. "What am I even doing?"

Laughing, he responds, "I think you're being pretty normal. You're right. You're her boss, so there is a definite line you can't cross. But give the girl a break. She hasn't messed up on anything and is working hard for you."

I sigh, "You're right. I'll try to ease off." I quickly finish the rest of my lunch and pay, heading back to the office ahead of Jasper. When I get back there, I'm accosted by Harper, a female colleague who is a few years older than me and has had her eye on me since I started at the firm. I complained about her to my dad, but he said she's one of our best and since she hadn't actually done anything inappropriate, he had no grounds to fire her on.

"Edward, when are we getting that drink you promised me?" She glances down at her blouse, adjusting the buttons but really just opening it a little bit more at the neck. I blush, turning towards the reception desk.

"Katie, do you have any messages for me?" I ask the receptionist.

She smiles and hands me a small stack of notes. "Sorry, it was a busy lunch."

Tapping the stack against the counter to straighten them, I turn back to Harper who is staring at me intently. "Sorry, I didn't realize we'd made plans. I'm really busy though right now - " I hold up my stack of messages. "Big case on my hands."

"Oh that's okay, another time." She fumbles the pen in her hand and it falls to the carpeted floor. Bending down, she picks it up and when she straightens her blouse, she pulls it down even further. Katie rolls her eyes at me and I try to suppress the cringe that's trying to make it's way onto my face. Harper waves my way, waggling her fingers in what I guess is a flirty way, and walks away, swinging her hips as she goes.

"Oh my gosh Katie. Save me next time." I give Katie a mock glare and start making my way to my office. Halfway there, I'm distracted by a lovely but seriously distracting sight - Bella, bent over the copier, trying to unstick a jam. When she turns slightly towards me, I notice some toner smudged along her cheekbone. Not only does she have a fantastic body, but she looks adorably disheveled as she tries to figure out what's wrong with the machine. Just as I'm about to offer my olive branch and help her out, the mail boy rounds the corner and starts helping her. I scowl in their direction and slink to my office.

Just as I open the door, I trip over a bump in the carpet and fly head first into the doorframe. Luckily, my office is in a secluded corner so no one was around to see me fall. My head hurts now though and I rub it gingerly. A small bump has started to form. Feeling stressed and annoyed, I sit down at my desk and get to work. After an hour or so, I pull up the report that I'd had Bella working on all week and is vital to this case.

Looking through each tab, I realize the formatting is completely wrong. Rubbing my forehead where a stress headache is forming, I stand up and go out to her desk, ready to confront Bella. I can feel the anger pulsing through my pressure points and it's all I can do not to yell at her. I try to keep my temper in check but fear that I didn't do a very good job. I can see the mix of anger and frustration on her face, along with something I don't quite recognize. Sadness maybe? I sigh as I tell her to just fix it tomorrow and then watch her pack up and leave from the window in my office. _I will make this up to her_ I promise myself.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Oh man. I can feel it winding down. The end is nigh. I don't think I can stretch this out too much longer, so I apologize. It just feels like the natural ending point is closer than I had anticipated. Hopefully, I can do all you guys justice. Stick around and see. I have to say, it feels good to know when it's time to end this story. I feel like I can actually close it out with a good resolution that I'm happy with and, hopefully, you are too.

_***Stephenie Meyer created these characters. I'm just borrowing them.***_

Something felt off. It wasn't anything I could pinpoint - just a feeling. I dug around in my drawer some more. After losing my signet ring, I started to notice weird things around my place. There were small items that weren't quite where I'd left them, moved just slightly. My drawers were always mussed, just slightly disorganized. And things were missing - a travel size bottle of perfume I wanted to put in my purse on a weekend trip with Edward, a pair of earrings, and a couple of pictures I thought were in my bedside drawer. I chalked it up to the stress of work and my disorganization problem.

"Okay something is definitely wrong," I murmur out loud. I know I had a tank and shorts set in my lingerie drawer because it was brand new. Now it's missing.

"What was that?" I hear Edward call from my bedroom. He's currently sitting on my bed, leafing through one of my old yearbooks.

"Nothing," I call back. I decide to put it out of my head and figure it out later. I hurry and shove a couple more things in my bag and then head out of my closet. "Let's get going." We're on our way to a business trip in New York to meet with a client. It's only a couple of nights, but we'll be staying in the same hotel room so I wanted to make sure I had something nice to wear. Later that night, when we finally make our way back to the hotel around 1 in the morning, Edward holds me close and tells me that he wants to marry me and that each day he's more sure he wants to marry me sooner rather than later.

I can't help but agree with him.

We start making tentative plans for the future - what time of year we'd like to get married, how big our wedding should be, possible venues. I want a spring wedding. He wants a fall wedding. So we settle on late summer. It's still beautiful and nice but not too hot or cold. We don't tell anyone about our plans and I worry what my parents (mostly my dad) will think. They've never even met Edward. But my mom wants to come out the week after Christmas, so they'll get to meet him and his family then. He's so wonderful, that I just know they'll love him.

My favorite thing to discuss is the honeymoon. Edward wants to surprise me so I finally cave but not before I give him a small checklist of requirements. He laughs as I name them off:

We can't go somewhere cold

I'd prefer somewhere I've never been before

Hopefully somewhere outside of the United States

He has to give me enough information to be able to pack sufficiently

No where war torn or third country

He laughs at my last request and assures me that he's not planning on taking me anywhere like that. I'm satisfied and leave the decision making up to him.

A couple of weeks into December, we go to a really fancy restaurant for Emmett and Rosalie's engagement party. I'm dressed in a gray dress with emerald green and gold accessories and Edward looks amazing, as always, in a dark gray suit without a tie. I can't help but stare at him from across the table the entire dinner. Alice pokes my side and tells me to stop gaping, but I can't stop. "He looks too good," I whisper in her ear, and she laughs loudly.

"So when can I expect good news from the two of you?" she asks, pulling my left hand into her lap to see if I have a ring on yet.

I roll my eyes at her. "Alice, we've only been dating for a few months. Don't rush us."

"I'm not rushing anything!" she cries. "I just want to help you plan the big day." We giggle and I just roll my eyes at Edward when he raises a brow, questioning our laughter.

We're interrupted by the sound of a fork tapping a glass. Emmett is standing at the head of the table, his glass in the air. "I'd like to toast my lovely fiancee, Rosie." The party lifts their glasses with him. "She's more than I ever thought I could find in a girl. She's whip smart - smarter than me by far. She's beautiful, as you can see. But that beauty is more than just what's on the outside. She's the kindest, sweetest, and most incredible woman I've ever met. I can't wait to wake up every morning to her face. I can't wait to see her hold our children. And mostly, I can't wait to grow old with her, knowing that I'm the luckiest man in the entire world for winning her heart. Rosie, I love you."

We all drink from our glasses and Rosalie pulls Emmett down for a brief but tender kiss, with tears in her eyes. I see her whisper something in his ear and he grins widely. Quickly she stands, holding her own glass up and says loudly, "Ditto."

Everyone laughs and takes a drink. The party seems to be slowing down a little as waiters bring by dessert for us to all try. As we all talk quietly to our neighbors, I feel my phone vibrate in my clutch and I pull it out.

_I have an early Christmas present I'd like to give you tonight. xxo - E_

I give him a smile across the table and text him back.

**Oh? I'm excited to see what it is. I hope it involves you and me, in your bed. - B**

_Not quite, but I'd be happy to add that to the menu. - E_

**Sounds good to me. Should we call it a night? - B**

"Oh girl! Just go already," Alice says, pushing my plate away and gesturing for the waiter to take it from the table. "You practically have hearts shooting out of your eyes."

"Okay, okay, we're going!" I lean over and give Alice a big hug, then stand and collect my clutch and cell phone from where they lie on the table. Walking to the head of the table, I give Emmett and Rosalie both hugs, kissing Rosalie on the cheek. "It was beautiful you guys. Really, it was so perfect."

"I wanted to ask you, will you be my maid of honor?" she asks, pulling back with a smile lighting her face. "Alice already knows and since she's designing my dress, she didn't want anymore responsibility."

"Yes, I'd love to!" I give her another hug. "I am so happy for you. You deserve this."

Edward and Jasper walk up then, my coat hanging over Edward's arm.

"I told you she'd say yes," Jasper says, giving Rosalie a look. She lightly slaps his arm and laughs. I give Jasper a kiss on the cheek and then Edward helps me with my coat. Waving as we go, we head out into the cold night.

"Rosalie asked me to be her maid of honor," I tell Edward while we wait for the car to pull up.

"I thought she would. I'm a little surprised Alice didn't fight you for it," he replies. I bump him with my hip and he laughs, pulling me under his arm. The car shows up shortly and we climb inside.

Once we're settled, I say "I feel bad I didn't get you an early present."

"Don't worry about it," he responds, pressing a kiss against my temple. "Just being with you is enough. Besides, this is kind of a present to myself too." We drive in silence, watching out the window at the holiday finery decorating storefronts and businesses until we get to his apartment building. Soft Christmas music is playing in the lobby as we wait for the elevator and I realize how calm and happy I'm feeling.

"Edward, I want you to know how happy I've been with you," I say quietly. He smiles down at me, his eyes wide and bright. "I know we got off to a rocky start, but I feel like I'm where I should be now."

"Of course you are," he says, hugging me tightly. The elevator dings and we make our way inside, feeling the slight pressure as it rises to his floor. Again, silence envelopes us but it feels companionable and nice. I feel like there's nothing extra that needs said around him. I'm content with just being in his company. Once we get to his floor, he pulls my coat from my shoulders and hangs it up with his in the coat closet. While he does that, I walk to the living room, kicking off my heels and placing my bag on the console table near his couch.

"Man, those shoes kill me. Beauty is pain is way too true," I say, grimacing and rubbing my feet to try and get the knots out. Edward comes in, holding a smaller wrapped box out to me.

Sitting down, he hands the package to me and then pulls my feet onto his lap. "You open that and I'll rub your feet."

I smile at him gratefully and then start pulling the wrapping paper off the box. Within, I find two white boxes with the easily recognizable Apple logo on them. I look up at him excitedly. "You got me an iPhone?"

He nods. "I got one for myself too. I hope that's okay. I figured we'd be on the same plan eventually anyway, and it was so nice, and you needed a new phone anyway." I nod back and then quickly pull one of the boxes open. A black phone lies inside. "Oh that one is mine." I hand it to him and pull the other open. It's a white and gold phone.

"Ooh I love it!" I say, snatching it from the box. It's already charged and ready to transfer my current phone's information to. I start playing around the various apps and stay that way for a while. Soon, I realize that Edward isn't rubbing my feet or talking and I glance over at him. He's fallen asleep leaning against the armrest, his head resting on the back of the couch and his hand clasping my foot lightly. I smile and pull my foot from his grasp, then slide away from him as carefully as I can. He snorts quietly and shifts in his sleep but doesn't wake. Standing, I grab a throw from a nearby chair and drape it over him. He doesn't look particularly comfortable in his suit but I don't want to wake him up.

I go upstairs and slip into my pajamas and then walk back down to the couch with a pillow in hand. Lying down on the other end of the couch, I pull the extra throw onto my lap and continue to play around with my phone, getting used to the new controls. I realize that Edward set up a tracking system on my phone so I pick his up from his lap and look at his as well. It's the same. We're able to track each other with our phones which makes me giggle a little.

I get an idea just then. I stand up and head into the bathroom where I fluff my hair and make sure my makeup is still in place, as I haven't washed my face yet. Then I strip my shirt and try to pose as seductively as possible, laughing at myself as I do. I feel really silly, but finally, I take a picture I like and I delete the others. Then I save the picture as Edward's phone background. It'll be a nice little surprise for him to get when he uses his phone the first time. Slipping my shirt back on, I decide to quickly wash my face so if I fall asleep my skin doesn't go crazy.

After I'm all settled, I climb back onto the couch and pick my phone back up. I smile as I play with it, touched that Edward bought such a thoughtful gift for me. My other phone was starting to crap out but I couldn't afford to buy a new phone yet - my upgrade wasn't for another year. Eventually my eyelids feel too heavy to ignore and I set my phone on the coffee table before I snuggle up against the couch cushions and let myself drift to sleep.

December has been relatively slow work wise. Edward assures me that this is fairly normal as people are more concerned with shopping and family time than pursuing lawsuits so they kind of put a standstill on their legal matters. Less court dates are scheduled, which means we have more time to spend with each other. January is sure to be a disaster though.

The company Christmas party is coming up quickly and Alice is convinced that Edward will be proposing to me then, or on Christmas eve. I don't think it's going to be that soon. She doesn't know yet that we've already started planning our wedding. I don't plan on telling her anything until we're official. Edward hasn't broached the subject much since our trip to New York, except for the occasional question about our honeymoon.

"I'm going to need you to come with me to court next Tuesday. Nothing big, just to help me bring all the files and supplies and then stick around if I need you. Is that okay?" Edward asks me, leaning against my desk as I pull the calendar on my computer up and schedule it in.

I nod. "No problem. Just tell me what I need to bring and I'll be there." He leans over and kisses my cheek before he walks away to catch up with a colleague who's heading out of town for the holidays. I finish typing up his schedule for the next 3 weeks and save the file on my computer before emailing him a copy and entering it on my phone. We'll sync them up later tonight. Edward texts me telling me that he has to run some errands and that he probably won't be done until evening and I let him know that I'll just see him tonight. I have dinner plans with Alice and Rose anyway.

Right before I am ready to leave for the day, I call Sam and let him know I need to pick up Edward's dry cleaning and then have him drop me off at the restaurant. He'll deliver the dry cleaning to Edward's building for me so I won't be late. After I shut down, I text Edward to let him know that I love him and I'm on my way to dinner. I don't hear back from him right away which isn't really a surprise because he's probably busy. Slipping my coat on and my bag over my shoulder, I go downstairs to meet with Sam.

Once I'm at the restaurant, I sit down with the girls and we order our food. While we wait Rose tells us about the argument she had with a venue director. "He was totally belligerent about it. As if he couldn't somehow find a way to accommodate the chuppa that Emmett built. So I told him that we wouldn't be having the wedding OR reception there and hung up the phone. I don't need someone like that spoiling the best day of my life."

Alice blinks at Rose before asking, "What's a hoopa?"

"It's a chuppa - a traditional Jewish wedding canopy that couples get married under. Emmett built one in college and it's beautiful. I agreed that we should use it in our wedding ceremony." Rose answers before taking a drink of wine.

"Wait, but you're not Jewish," I say, confused at her response. I knew what a chuppa is but I am surprised about what she's implying.

"Oh, I didn't tell you? I'm converting to Judaism. Emmett feels like it's important and I'm not really any specific religion anyway, so I figured it'd be good to start our marriage off on the right foot." She smiles at us, obviously enjoying our shock.

"Well that's a big step, for sure." Alice is the first to speak. "Are you sure about this?"

Giving us both a dirty look, Rosalie answers, "Look, if it's important to Emmett, I'm willing to make the commitment. He's not _super_ religious, but he wants to raise his children knowing the Jewish faith. I want to make him happy, and if he's happy, I'm happy. So it works. I would do anything for him, you know?" At the end, she looks down at her lap, obviously feeling a little self-conscious.

"No, no, you misunderstood. We're just surprised is all!" Alice says.

I nod. "Yeah! If you're happy, we're happy. It's one big circle of happiness!" I grab Rose's hand and squeeze it. "I think it's awesome you're willing to make a big commitment like that. And it sounds like it is really important to him. I didn't even _know_ he was Jewish!"

After that, the conversation moves to lighter topics. Alice shows us the sketches she's come up with for Rosalie's dress and then the one for my dress and her own. They're all very different but look fantastic together. "There is a lot of work to be done, but they'll all be amazing, if I do say so myself." Rosalie has settled on various shades of white for her colors. Her dress will be a pure diamond white, mine will be a soft champagne, and Alice's a very pale dove gray. "I want to incorporate some of the vintage lace I found if that's okay. I was thinking of doing a wide band of lace on your dress, right at the waist, Rose. What do you think about that?" She shows a quick sketch she did and Rosalie's eyes light up.

"I love it. You're too good!" She pulls the sketch a little closer to her face.

Sliding a paper towards me, Alice says, "I was thinking of doing a scalloped lace overlay on your dress. Yours will be the laciest. It fits your style the most."

I look at the sketch and smile. "This dress is incredible. Yes, I like that a lot!"

"And for me a fit and flare gown, with lace sleeves and bust line. I'm still not quite sold on the design but it'll be something like this." Handing us the page, we look at it. She's got impeccable taste and I'm a little jealous she's got such a skill. We discuss flowers, food, and music until we realize that the restaurant is starting to close. The staff has started cleaning tables and sweeping the floors, setting the chairs up where they go. Giggling, we apologize and quickly pay our bill so we can leave. After hugging and kissing each other goodbye, and cementing plans for next time we do dinner, we all go our separate ways.

Once I get back to my house, I realize I was so caught up in the fun of the wedding plans that I didn't notice Edward's lack of response to my text. I pull my phone out of my purse and check my messages - no voicemails, missed calls, or texts. I send him a message but I'm not too concerned. He's probably busy working on the case for next week or something. Telling him I'm off to bed, I set my phone on the charger and climb out of my clothes and onto my comfy mattress.

The next morning, I pull my phone off the charger to discover that he still hasn't texted me back. I'm not convinced anythings wrong so I go about my day. I clean my house, scrubbing the bathrooms and throwing a load of laundry into the wash. I have been a little neglectful. I run a bunch of errands - dropping off and picking up dry cleaning, grocery shopping, and picking out a new rug for my living room. Before I know it, half the day is gone and it's time for a late lunch. I decide to call Edward and see if he wants to meet up. I don't get an answer - it goes straight to voicemail. At this point, I'm growing a little concerned. It's not like Edward to be this out of touch. He has usually called or texted by now, even if he's busy. I call his driver and ask if he's been anywhere lately.

"No ma'am. He had me drop him off at his apartment last night around 10 pm and that was all for the night. I haven't heard anything from him since then. Is anything wrong?" he asks.

"No, I just hadn't heard from him and was wondering if he was out at a meeting or something. I'll just stop by later. Thanks!" I say, hanging up with him.

_Hmm. _I think to myself. _I wonder what's going on_. I text Esme and ask if her or Carlisle have heard from Edward.

Not this morning dear. Is everything okay? she texts me back.

**Yep. Just having a little bit of trouble tracking him down.** **His phone must be dead. If you hear from him, will you let him know I'm looking for him? **

Of course.

I quickly get dressed in a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and some boots. As I pull my hair back, I realize I could be worrying over nothing. I don't know if he's with his friends or something like that. I call Emmett and Jasper, asking both if they've seen or heard from him. Neither one has and it's at that point that I start to get really worried. He never just disappears like this. It's completely out of character and so I decide to go to his place to see if everything is okay.

As I ride to his building, my stomach is in knots and I can't stop biting my nails. Before we even arrive, I have my right thumb bleeding from where I ripped the nail off at the corner. I cringe and rub the blood off the tip as I pay the cab driver. As I walk into his building, I ask the doorman if he's seen him

"Not this morning miss. But his friend went up last night shortly before he arrived home and I don't think they've come down since then. Maybe he had a late night," he says, scratching his cheek.

"What friend?" I ask, my eyebrows scrunching together.

"It wasn't someone I recognized but he assured me that Edward was expecting him. He had his passcode and everything. I let him up. He had dark hair, not quite as tall as Edward. Kind of scruffy looking but dressed real nice, like he just hadn't shaved in a while. Said his name was Jacob Black." He pulls out the guest book and shows me the signature scrawled on the line for Edward's apartment.

"I don't know who that is," I say, wracking my brain for any mention of a Jacob Black in our discussions. I text the name to his parents and friends to see if they know who he's talking about. "Thanks for the information, I'm going to head upstairs."

He nods and gets back to sorting the packages on his desk for the residences in the building. I get in the elevator and wait to reach his floor. The ride feels like it takes forever and as I go, I try to calm myself down by saying he probably just never mentioned this friend before. The doors open up to his apartment and I head inside, calling his name as I go. There is no answer and his apartment seems eerily quiet - no music, tv noise, nothing to indicate anyone is home.

Before I even make it to the stairs, I realize something is wrong. A picture in the hall leading out of the entryway has been knocked down, the glass smashed and scattered across the floor. I quickly pull out my phone, ready to call 911 if needed. I quickly check the theatre room and storage room nearby but they're empty. As I make my way to the living room, I see evidence of some sort of scuffle - a small table and lamp near the couch is knocked over and a glass of scotch has been spilled on his rug. The couch cushions are skewed and one has fallen off. There is some torn fabric on the corner of the bottom step of his stairs and I recognize it as the suit fabric he had worn yesterday. It looks like he ran into the corner and the fabric snagged, tearing off. His wireless phone is lying abandoned near the stairs as well. At this point, I stop my search and call 911, then the doorman to tell him what's going on.

Just then, I get 3 texts at once - his parents and Emmett and Jasper. His parents and Emmett don't know the name but Jasper mentions that Edward had gotten a cryptic note from a Jacob Black a couple of weeks before. He thought it was from a disgruntled client based on the message inside and threw it away, disregarding it. As I wait for the police to show up, I call Jasper to get more information. "What did the note say?"

"It said something like 'You'll regret not making sure I got what I wanted.' Honestly, I'm not quite sure but Edward didn't seem very concerned so I just forgot about it. Why? What's wrong?" he asks.

"I'm not sure, but someone named Jacob Black came to Edward's place last night, according to his doorman. I came over here and there's no one home but the place is a mess, like someone got into a fight," I tell him. I make my way upstairs as I go, trying to figure out what happened.

"Are you sure he's not there?" Jasper asks. I hear him moving around, probably getting dressed. "I'm coming over."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure no one's home, but I'm going upstairs to make sure. I've called the police already. I guess I'll see you soon." I hang up but keep my phone in my hand, this type holding it in such a way that I could hit someone in the face with it if needed.

I see more broken glass in the hall, from another smashed picture frame. There's some blood smeared on the wall nearby, as if someone fell down and swiped their hand against the wall. I check his office first - empty. It looks as if no one has gone in and it's in perfect order. After checking the guest bedroom, which I find as orderly as the office, I go into Edward's bedroom. In here I find the bed rumpled and his torn suit jacket lying on the floor nearby. There's a few pieces of cut rope on the floor as well. I follow a small trail of blood droplets to the bathroom and on the mirror, written in what looks like blood, is a message.

Gasping, I feel my head go light and black spots swim across my vision. I don't even have time to read the message before I fall to my knees. I can tell I'm about to faint so I quickly pull my knees up and lean down, placing my head between them, breathing deeply until my vision clears. I decide that I've seen enough and once I feel strong enough to stand, I leave the bathroom without look back.

I wait for the police downstairs, pacing near the door. I'm glad I didn't touch anything. I'm doubly glad I didn't eat anything because I feel sick with worry and I don't feel like explaining the fact that I would have probably puked at the sight of the master bedroom and bathroom. They arrive shortly after I made my way back downstairs and I explain to them what I found when I came up and what the doorman told me. After about 30 minutes of questioning and a quick walkthrough of the apartment, they tell me to wait in the kitchen while technical services does their search. Jasper joins me when he arrives, holding my hand and telling me that Alice will pick me up when I need to leave.

An hour later and I find myself answering more questions. By now I realize he's really gone and feel more numb than anything. Jasper speaks to Esme on the phone quietly, trying to talk her out of coming by.

"Did Mr. Cullen have any enemies? Anyone who was out to hurt him?" Detective Morales asks me.

"I mean, he was a high profile defense attorney. Of course he had enemies. But no one that would do something like this. At least no one that I know of." I respond, tugging my sleeve down to cover my hand. I feel cold and empty.

The detective turns towards Jasper and asks him the same thing. Jasper covers the phone briefly to answer that he thinks the same thing. He tells him about the note from Jacob Black but so far that hasn't led to much.

"What about you? You were dating, right? Anyone who would want to hurt you?" Morales asks. I shake my head at first, my mind muddled. Then I quickly answer, "James. This guy James. He was his old college roommate and he hates Edward. He tried to attack me at a club once and Edward stopped him. We think he was stalking me. There is a case against him. Hold on, I have a card with the detective handling it and the case number." I pull my purse up, grabbing my wallet out and extracting the card with the details. I hand it to the detective. I tell him briefly about the run-ins I've had with James and the suspicion that he was somehow behind everything weird happening to me and Edward, but that we didn't have an evidence to back it up.

"Thanks, I'll give him a call. What's James's last name? Have you had any sort of communication with James lately?" he continues his questioning.

"No. Nothing lately. I actually don't know his full name…" I mutter, furrowing my brow.

"Lexington," Jasper says loudly. "It's James Lexington."

Just then, another detective comes down and whispers something in Morales's ear. They give each other a look and then Morales turns to me.

"Miss Swan, I think James is definitely involved in Mr. Cullen's disappearance. The message on the mirror - not blood by the way, just paint - says 'Pretty girl, now we can be together. I'm dealing with this problem. We'll be together forever. James'. I'm going to get with the detective handling your case right now and see if we can get some leads of where he might be. We're going to run the blood we found and see if we can determine whose it is as well."

My head is reeling and I think Jasper can tell I'm not doing so well, so he puts an arm around my shoulder and tells the detective that James owns a club downtown. He gives him the name and then explains that he needs to take me out of the apartment. Morales nods in understanding and asks me to keep my phone with me, in case he needs anything else. As we walk to the apartment - my mind full of horrible thoughts and my heart heavy - Jasper calls Alice to come pick me up.

"I'm going to have you go with Alice to her apartment. Esme and Carlisle will meet you there. I'll get Rose and Emmett up to speed and then I'm sure we'll all be over there as well. I'll help answer any more questions the detectives have." As we ride down, I slump against him, feeling like my legs won't support me anymore. "Bella, Edward will be okay. He'll be fine. We'll get him back."

I throw my arms around him and hold tight. He hugs me back, patting my back gently and letting me cry. The tears come steadily and don't slow as we walk through the lobby. Out of the corner of my eye I see a detective questioning the doorman. In the middle of a sentence he turns to me and calls out, "Miss Swan, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

I wipe my eyes, stand up straight, and tell him not to worry, that I know it's not his fault, although part of me does want to blame him. He should have known better. I know it's illogical but that's all I can feel right now. The tears start up again and continue as we wait near the door for Alice to show up. She pulls up in her small car and runs out, the engine still running, to pull me into her small arms. Stronger than she looks, she crushes me to her and whispers how sorry she is. I don't have anything to say so I just nod. She helps me into the car and the talks quietly to Jasper before kissing him passionately and joining me in the front seat.

"Look, this will be taken care of. Jasper will help out and you know that we've got all the resources to find him. Don't worry." We drive the rest of the way in heavy silence. Once we make it to her apartment, she sits me down on her couch with a blanket tucked around my lap and a mug of hot tea in my hands. After that, she seems lost and simply sits next to me, holding my hand and letting me cry. Within an hour, Esme and Carlisle and Rosalie show up as well. Alice is a mother hen, ushering everyone inside and making sure there is food to eat and hot beverages all around. I smile, despite the circumstances, at how much she thrives on babying people.

Rose sits on the couch next to me and hugs me to her. "Emmett is with Jasper right now. They're working with the police and trying to get as many details as possible to give to us. I'm so sorry sweetie."

At her words, I burst into tears again. Esme, who up until now has seemed so strong, also starts to cry quietly. Carlisle looks around helplessly. "I just wish there was more I could do." He looks completely lost and then his head is in his hands, as he looks blankly at the floor with an expression of complete desperation on his face.

Alice just stares in horror, unsure of how to comfort all these distraught people at once. "Oh you guys, I don't know how to help." She sets the tray with all her mugs on it down on the coffee table and curls up on the couch between Esme and me. It's overcrowded now, but comforting to feel these people around me. I try to dry my eyes and reach over to Carlisle to squeeze his hand.

"I'm sorry I keep crying. I just feel so powerless," I say. "But these two are right. I'm sure he's going to be okay. The police will find him." As I say these words my heart feels a little lighter, as if it knows that what I'm saying will come true.

Esme nods and stands to join Carlisle on the oversized chair, her small frame taking up a minimal amount of space. Alice turns on the tv, hoping to find something mindless but entertaining to keep us occupied but nothing can keep our focus. We all talk quietly about what happened, and I tell everyone the details of mine and Edward's history with James. I tell them that I suspected things were missing but ignored my instinct to do anything about it, convinced that I was just imagining it.

"I'm sure this is my fault," I say, feeling the weight of the words on my tongue as I say them.

"No, no. You can't say or feel that. It's no one's fault but James," Alice says.

Nodding, Esme says, "Are there things you, we could have done differently? Yes. But is it our fault that James chose to do this? No. Hindsight is 20/20. Beating ourselves up for something we had no real control over isn't going to fix this."

"I just wish I had some way to find him, to know he was okay," I say, twisting my phone in my hand and willing it to ring with news that Edward is okay. Just then, a thought occurs to me - Edward installed a tracking program on my phone and his, so we'd always know where the other person was. At the time, I thought it was just silly, but now I realize how crucial this is. It could change the whole outcome of this awful day.

"Alice, get me your phone," I say loudly, startling everyone.

"Why? You have yours in your hand," she says, confused but handing it over. I quickly dial Detective Morales's number and wait impatiently for it to ring.

When he answers, I quickly tell him what I remembered, talking loud enough that everyone can hear. "If his phone is on, and he has a signal, we could find him. Or at least his phone, if it's on him." He tells me that he'll be over shortly and hangs up. Everyone gathers around me as I open the program, waiting for the little green dot to appear on the map of the area. Nothing appears. I check that I have a Wifi connection from Alice's wireless internet, and I do. "Either his phone is off, or he has no connection," I say when I hear quiet groans. "I'm not going to give up though."


	19. Chapter 19

AN: Sometimes I wonder why I picked San Francisco for the setting of this story. I've never been there in my life, so I _know_ some of this (okay most of it) isn't accurate. Thanks for bearing with me though. Thanks for not ripping my head of if you know that I've been just making this up. Anyway I just had to throw that out there because it's just embarrassing how inaccurate I know this probably all is.

Ok and also, I know the procedures and policies regarding missing persons cases are different than what I've outlined here, but I'm too exhausted to try and get it completely right. Don't tear me apart, please? :) It IS Halloween! Be nice guys!

_****Stephanie Meyer owns these guys (most of them at least) but I get to have fun with them anyway….****_

After waiting several hours for something to show up on my phone, we all decide that we need some rest. Around 11 pm or so, Alice ushers the Cullens into a spare bedroom, Rosalie makes her way back to Emmett's apartment, and I curl up on the couch with a blanket and my phone. I tell Alice to go to bed and I'll wake them if anything happens. Jasper and Alice go to bed and I'm left by myself, with only my thoughts and the dim light from a nearby lamp to keep me company.

The next day is more of the same. I call Detective Morales several times but to no avail. He assures me that I will be the first to hear of any news. I can't eat, can't sleep, don't want to move from my spot on the couch. That night, I hear Alice telling Jasper that they should call my parents. I yell at her that they'd better not and that's the end of that.

After everyone else is asleep the second night Edward is gone, I sit in silence on the couch. Even though my body is exhausted, my mind won't shut up long enough for me to do more than doze. Finally, I really fall asleep at about 1:30 am. Suddenly, I'm jolted awake by a noise I don't recognize. I shake my head to clear the haze of sleep and sit up, grabbing my phone from where it's fallen to the ground nearby. Turning it on to check the time, I see it's just after 4 am, Sunday morning. Then, I hear the noise again more clearly. It's a quiet chime that's coming from my phone. I quickly unlock it and realize it's the tracking app that I left on. A little red dot is flickering on the map of the city.

"Oh!" I whisper. Quickly, I stand up, pulling my hoodie on, and run down the hall to the master bedroom. "Alice!" I shout, "the tracker is working! Edward must have gotten a signal or something!"

Jasper and Alice startle at my shout but quickly start getting out of bed.

"Um, I need a little privacy," Jasper says, blushing.

"Right!" I hurry out of the room and knock on the guest room door. When Carlisle opens it a crack, I tell him what happened.

"We'll be out in a moment," he says, smiling.

Once I get back into the living room, I snatch Alice's landline phone up and call Detective Morales. He waited around with us for a couple of hours last night but then told me that he had to get out and follow some more leads and to call him with any updates. He tells me not to go anywhere and that he's coming. While I wait, I zoom in on the little map, trying to figure out where Edward is. The rest of the group joins me. Alice texts Rose while we're waiting and she tells Alice that she and Emmett are coming over.

"So do you know where he is?" Alice asks.

I study the map again. "He's somewhere in the city but I don't know the area. It looks like an industrial area near the bay."

Detective Morales shows up shortly after, along with a couple of other officers. I tell him that the dot hasn't moved since I noticed it a half hour ago. He snatches the phone from my hand and matches it up with a map he pulls from his jacket pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he makes a call to dispatch to send the word out. "Okay, I'm going to need a couple of patrols put out in the Bay City industrial park. We're looking for any suspicious activity and keep an eye out for any of the following vehicles..." He names off a list of vehicle descriptions along with a couple of license plates. A few minutes later he gets an answer that three cars are en route.

"I'm going to leave Brown here with you, and go out myself to search for him. I know the area pretty well from my days in traffic. Brown will keep you updated on anything that happens. We found out that James has several vehicles that he drives, one in the name of Jacob Black that we know of for sure. But his employees at the club have been very helpful. One waitress in particular who has had several scary run-ins with him after hours has given us a lot of information to help out. Poor girl was too scared to quit or report it until now. Apparently, he gave instructions to his manager to handle things while he was away on business for the last few weeks. They haven't seen him for a while." He pulls out a little notepad, "We've found a few of apartments scattered around the city based on what she's told us. Only one was in his name, but there were two by the name of Jacob Black. I think we'll find him soon." He pats me on the hand and stands to leave.

Esme stands and shakes his hand, "Thank you for everything you've done for our son." Tears are brimming in her eyes and she quickly blinks them away.

"That's my job ma'am." Detective Morales blushes and turns away. I follow out into the hall.

"Do you…" I start, my voice breaking. I clear my throat. "Do you think that Edward is okay?" My voice is shaky but I feel strangely calm.

"I'm not going to sugar coat it. I don't know. In most cases like this, finding someone within the first 24 to 48 hours is crucial. We've been lucky, that's for sure. These breaks - they don't happen often. I'm trying to look on the bright side. This could mean we find him soon. But most of the blood in the apartment matches Edward. That worries me about his condition. Hopefully…" his voice fades out a little and he stops, giving me a sad look. "You should just be prepared for whatever happens."

I nod, biting my lip to try from crying. I stand outside in the hall for a few minutes, trying to gain my composure, before I go back inside. When I enter the apartment, Esme sweeps me up into a big hug.

"He's okay Bella. I know he is. As his mother, I would know if something had gone wrong." She smiles at me, holding my hand in hers.

"I hope you're right," I say quietly, not sure myself. Something inside me clenches at the thought of losing him. Then, leaving as suddenly as it came, I feel the soft slide of peace in my chest that tells me that everything will be fine. It's so brief that I'm not even sure if I imagined it or not.

Alice walks over, rubbing her eyes. "I'm going to run to the bakery down the street and grab some bagels and coffee. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure, I could use something to get my mind off this for a minute," I reply, knowing that picking out bagels isn't going to do anything to calm me down but wanting desperately to get out of the house and away from all these prying eyes. Somehow, Alice always knows what I need, when I need it.

After Alice puts her coat on and wraps a scarf around my neck, we walk downstairs and out the front door. She doesn't say a word, but holds my hand in her tiny one, squeezing it gently as we walk. I smile to myself. She's like a little angel. When we get to the bakery, she asks me to pick out a dozen bagels and some schmear to go along with them. I take my time, trying to think of what everyone would like to eat. I'm surprised to find that it does help a little to be focused on something else, even though it's not for very long. She asks the boy at the register if someone can deliver the bagels and coffee and he nods. After we pay, we head back.

"I want you to know that whatever happens, Jasper and I are here for you," Alice tells me quickly, as if she wants the words out of her mouth.

I give her a tired smile and nod. "I know. I love you guys for it."

We make our way back upstairs and into her apartment. About fifteen minutes later Rose and Emmett arrive, with the bagels and coffee right behind them. We all grab something to eat, but I can't find an appetite so I end up picking my bagel to pieces and sipping my coffee until it's cold. Conversation goes on around me about the holidays. I can tell everyone is trying to keep it light but it doesn't help dispel the worry I feel.

Eventually people make their way back to the living room. Officer Brown sits awkwardly in the corner while Alice tries to draw him into the conversation. I take my place on the couch and rub my eyes. They feel tired and strained from the lack of sleep and my night of staring at my phone. While the conversation steers to Emmett and Rose's wedding plans, I feel myself start to drift off, clutching my phone in my hand. I've vaguely aware of Emmett pulling my feet onto his lap and someone placing a blanket over me. I snuggle into the blanket and let myself go.

I arrive home to find Edward inside. I walk up the stairs to my bedroom and he's in my room, waiting for me. He's with James. James has him tied to a chair and has beat him up until he's bloody and bruised. But as I walk through the door, Edward smiles at me. It's that crooked grin he gives me, the one that I love, the smile that is just for me. James looks at Edward, then back at me. He seems confused. Walking to where James stands, I feel compelled to reach out to him. As I do, he groans. I realize that my seemingly empty hand actually held a knife, which is now sticking out of his chest. My initial thought is panic that I've killed someone. But the feeling soon leaves and becomes relief. He slumps to the floor with a wide, blank gaze in my direction.

Suddenly, Edward's bonds fall and he can stand. He walks to me, smiling through his cuts and bruises and places his hands on my shoulders. White noise fills the room and it starts to shake. Edward pulls me close and whispers something in my ear. It's too noisy and I can't hear him. He whispers it again, but it's still too loud. He says it again, and again, each time getting a little bit louder until suddenly I can hear him. "Wake up. Wake up Bella. You need to wake up."

I jolt awake. Emmett is shaking me. "Bella, they found them. They found them!" He can't stop grinning. I feel disoriented and slow. Not quite trusting my ears, I ask him to repeat himself. "They found Edward. Well the found James too. But they found Edward!" He holds my phone out to me. "They just called for you and you were out for like four hours and I didn't know if it'd be good or bad news so I took the call instead."

I look around, realizing that everyone around me is quietly celebrating in their own way. Alice and Jasper are being very inappropriate and making out, Esme and Carlisle are both speaking excitedly to the officer, and Rose is crying quietly in the corner. I hug Emmett and then move onto Rose.

"I'm so happy that they found him," she says, hugging me tightly.

"I didn't realize you were so upset about it all," I respond, giving her a hug right back.

She laughs and sniffles. "I didn't know how I'd help you move on if something happened to him."

My phone rings then and I quickly answer it. It's Detective Morales. "Miss Swan, I'm sure you've heard the news by now. I told Mr. McCarty that I'd give him a few minutes to tell everyone and then call back to speak with you."

"Yes, he just told me. What happened? Where was he? Is he okay?" I say everything quickly, too quickly. I'm sure he won't understand me.

Laughing, he says, "Yes, he's fine. Or he will be, soon. Look, we've got him at UCSF Medical Center right now. A doctor is with him but Mr. Cullen said he won't cooperate until he sees you. He needs some medical attention right away, so I suggest you get down here as soon as possible. When you get here, we'll fill you in on everything."

I tell him I'm on my way while I shove my feet into my boots near the door. "Alice, I need to get to the hospital, like yesterday."

Officer Brown pushes his way through everyone towards me. "That's why you should let me take you. I've got the lights after all."

"Okay, I'm going with Officer Brown. I'll see you guys down there?" I don't even wait to hear the response from the room before I'm out the door and walking quickly towards the stairs, Officer Brown right behind me. We get into his squad car and he turns the lights and siren on, speeding us across town to the hospital. At the reception counter, I ask where Edward's room is.

"He's with Doctor Bell right now," the bored receptionist says.

"Okay, well I need to know where they are, immediately." I try not to sound like a total bitch, but can't this lady tell that I'm in a hurry?

"Ma'am, this is regarding a police investigation. Which room are they in?" Officer Brown says politely, walking up behind me.

"Oh, I see. Well in that case, you'll find them in room 316. Take this hallway down to the elevator and up three floors. Coming out of the elevator you'll turn right. They'll be the sixth door on the left," she says, giving me the stink eye before she turns a bright smile to Officer Brown.

"Whatever," I respond, walking away quickly. Officer Brown signs the register and then jogs down the hall to meet me at the elevator.

"Sometimes people only respond to what they consider 'authority'," he says, smiling kindly at me. I roll my eyes but agree. I've seen it enough working as a personal assistant. No one thinks I have any sort of authority but the truth is, they don't get to Edward without going through me first. The elevator arrives at the third floor and I jog to room 316. As I get closer, I can hear Edward talking loudly and I can't help the grin that appears on my face. Detective Morales is standing in front of the door and gives me a smile as I near the room.

"Edward!" I cry as I open the door to the examination room. He's standing, no leaning, against the exam table.

"Bella!" he whispers. I walk to him quickly and hug him. "Ungh. Ouch."

Pulling back, I apologize. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I hurt you."

"No, James hurt me. You saved me," he replies, finally taking a seat on the exam table. "Stay with me."

"Mr. Cullen, this is highly inappropriate," the doctor begins to protest.

"Look, I said I wouldn't let you check me out until she was here. Now she's here. So do you business." Edward tries to wink at me, but it looks painful as his eye is swollen shut.

The doctor sighs and begins his examination, helping Edward take his shirt off and then checking him from head to toe. As he examines him, I take stock of Edward's injuries myself. With each new bruise, cut, or painful gasp that I hear from his mouth, I feel the anger inside me boiling. Outside of the countless bruises, I count one black eye, one split lip, a broken nose, a busted ear drum, two broken fingers, four broken ribs, and rope burns on both wrists and ankles. His hair is matted to his head where a small cut was bleeding and there is a massive scrape on his cheek. He has glass imbedded into his right hand from where it slammed against the picture in his upstairs hall. Now I know where the bloody handprint came from. Luckily, that is the extent of his injuries, other than that he's slightly dehydrated.

"We'll need to keep him, at least overnight, to make sure there are no complications with the broken ribs and to ensure he is not concussed," Doctor Bell finally pronounces at the end of the examination. It's well into the evening and Edward looks like he's about to fall asleep where he sits.

"Well I'm not going anywhere," I stubbornly say, standing up and taking Edward's hand.

"I didn't think you would," Detective Morales interrupts. "Let's give them a minute to get Edward a room and settled. I'll get you filled in on what happened."

"Edward, I'm going to get some coffee with the detective, then I'll meet you in your room." I kiss him on the cheek and his eyelids flutter open.

"Please don't leave me," he says with such heartbreaking sadness that tears immediately fill my eyes.

"I won't. I promise."

A nurse arrives with a rolling bed to take Edward to his room. She helps him in and hooks an IV up to his arm. Detective Morales guides me out into the hall and we watch them take him to another wing.

"Let's get that coffee." Morales leads me towards the elevator and down to the ground floor where the cafeteria is. As we sip our sub-par coffee, he tells me what they found and what Edward told him.

"James had disabled the cameras in the elevator bank and the garage by posing as a maintenance worker. We're still unsure of how he got Edward's security code but he was able to get in without setting off the alarm system. That's also how he got into the garage. Edward got home around 10 pm last night and James was waiting for him in the apartment. When Edward came home, he got a drink and was sitting on the couch when James attacked him. They fought, which you saw the evidence of. Edward almost made it to the elevator but then James pulled out a knife and cornered him. So he ran upstairs to try and get his phone or to the security system. James followed him, they fought some more, and then Edward was knocked out in his bedroom. He got a few good hits in and the blood you found dripping into the bathroom was because he managed to get James's knife away from him and slashed his leg pretty badly. Unfortunately, James got the best of him. He's stronger than he looks.

After he left the message on the mirror, James took Edward to an apartment. Edward wasn't sure how long he was out. When he woke up, James showed him all the things he had stolen from you and the pictures and videos he'd taken. I don't want to worry you too much, but apparently there were several hidden cameras throughout your house. He had a lot of pictures of you from what Edward told us. We've got some officers there now, gathering the evidence. We will make sure your belongings are returned to you, if you still want them. Anyway, he was there for a while, with James basically telling him all about his plans for getting Edward out of the picture and getting you to be with him. Edward was tied up the whole time and then James injected him with a tranquilizer to get him out long enough to move him again.

James moved him to another apartment, this time a little closer to the warehouse. He left him in a room by himself. He's not sure what James did during this time. He was gagged and tied up so he couldn't get help. But he was able to get his phone out of his pocket and try to get it up and running. Somehow James missed that Edward had his cell phone on him. That's a miracle if you ask me. So he got his phone turned on but there was no signal, leading us to believe it was a basement apartment. After a while, James moved Edward again, this time to the warehouse we found him in. It's very near a cell phone tower, so that's why the signal appeared on your phone. James had him tied up and was beating him some more when we found them.

Right now James isn't saying anything. He's obviously very pissed off but knows what he's doing. He asked for a lawyer as soon as questioning started so we haven't gotten anything from him directly. But with the evidence we found in Edward's apartment, along with the things James had stolen from you, and the testimonies of some of his employees, we should have a pretty solid case." He takes a long drink from his coffee cup when he finishes.

I shiver after I hear the story, amazed at what James had put Edward through, and thoroughly creeped out about the hidden cameras. "Can you guys go to my house and find the cameras? I don't know where they are and I don't want them in there."

"Of course. We'll need to go through to find any additional evidence we can anyway. We'll be adding your case to this one when we take it to court." I hand over my key and he says he'll bring it back once they're finished.

"Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for helping me and Edward." I pull him into a hug.

He clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, "Well it's my job. That's what I'm here for. I'm just glad we could get you a happy ending to this story." He tells me that he's heading out to take care of more details for the case and I make my way upstairs to Edward's room, after checking with the snotty receptionist. Officer Brown has left and so it's just the two of us, Edward and me, left.

He's sleeping peacefully when I get to his room so I curl up on the chair next to his bed and finally allow myself to relax. I realize that the last couple of days feel like they've simultaneously lasted forever and gone by way too quickly. My mind is catching up with my body and I find it hard to keep my eyes open. I quickly text everyone to let them know that I'm fine and Edward is fine and they can visit in the morning. Then I turn my phone on silent and slump into the chair.

I wake a few hours later with a crick in my neck and Edward staring at me from his bed. "Hi."

I smile and stand up, stretching my back. "Hi back." Leaning over I kiss Edward who smiles and then grimaces.

"Hurts to smile."

"I'd imagine. You look like you got mauled by a bear. How are you feeling?" I ask, pouring him some water. In the dim light of morning his bruises look worse than ever and I cringe internally thinking of how he must feel and what he went through.

"Tired. Sore. Super thirsty. But mostly just so incredibly happy to see you." His eyes start welling with images tears. "I thought I'd never see you again."

I can't help it. I start to cry and clasp his less injured hand in mine, bringing it to my lips and pressing a kiss to his palm. He cups my cheek and let's the tears run down his face. "Look at us," he whispers. "A couple of crying pansies."

I laugh loudly. It's such a stupid thing to say that it feels perfect in this moment. He laughs too and then groans. "Man it never seems like broken ribs are a big deal in the movies. But this hurts like a son of a bitch."

"I'll call a nurse to bring you some pain killers. Then I'm letting your mom and dad come see you. They've been worried sick." I press the call button next to his bed and we sit and wait for the nurse, quietly talking about everything and nothing. After the nurse checks him and gives him some medicine, I step into the hall to call his parents.

"He's up and seems to be in good spirits, all things considering." I tell Esme.

"Oh Bella. We're so glad you're there with him. Are you sure it's okay for us to stop by? I'm sure you'd like some privacy." She sounds worried.

"Yes I'm sure. You need to see your son. Did the detective tell you what happened?"

She confirms. "I had no idea James was so unbalanced. It's a nasty business. Anyway, we'll be over in a little bit. We'll bring you something to change into."

I hang up the phone and walk back into Edward's room where he's sitting up, watching the news. "Your mom and dad are on their way."

"Good, but before that I need to... Freshen up." He tries to stand but gets tangled in his IV cord. I help him up and walk him to the small bathroom.

"If you need me, I'll be right out here." I take a seat on the armchair next to the bathroom door. While I listen to Edward putter around in the bathroom, a new wave of relief at his safety washes over me and I cry quietly. When I hear the water shut off, I quickly compose myself and dry my eyes.

"I feel sort of human," Edward quips as he comes out of the bathroom. "Do you think they'll feed me?"

Smiling, I help him back in bed and call the nurse again, this time asking for some food to be sent up. After a little bit, Edward's parents show up, followed by our little group of friends. We all celebrate Edward's safety and return back to our lives until Edward falls asleep and we all make our ways back home.

Edward ends up staying an extra night at the hospital and Jasper takes over his court appointments for the rest of the year while Edward recovers. He spends a week resting in his apartment while I baby him until he's crazy with cabin fever and decides that this is vacation time, not recovery time. I beg him to take it easy and he does, but only because his ribs still hurt him pretty badly. We spend every day at art museums and movie theaters and every night snuggling (carefully) in bed.

Detective Morales tells me when they've located all the cameras but at this point I don't care. Edward asks me to move in with him and I agree without hesitation. I decide to move in after the New Year so I can enjoy the rest of the holiday. I go home and pick up most of my clothes, shoes, and other necessities and move that stuff into Edward's place. We have several meetings with detectives regarding the case as witnesses and victims of James but try our hardest to put it past us. The physical scars Edward bear are a horrible reminder of what he went through and how close I was to losing him. The bruises fade, the cuts heal, and broken bones mend, but he still wakes up from time to time with his heart racing and in a cold sweat from nightmares. He agrees to meet with a counselor who assures us that this is all very normal and eventually he will be able to move past it; it will just take time.

The first time Edward sees everyone from the office is at the company Christmas party, held on the 23rd of December. His ribs still hurt but he's in a great mood and seems excited to see everyone again. He gifts me a beautiful black dress and a gorgeous coat to wear to the party. Our colleagues and their families are all in attendance and everyone seems very happy to see him. My parents have come into town and they join us at the party as well. As expected, my mom is gaga over Edward and my dad is… a little less gaga (to say the least). Christmas day my dad is grouchy and even though we spend it at Edward's parent's house, he's unsociable and it makes me angry.

I pull him aside and ask, "What's wrong? Why are you making everyone uncomfortable?"

"You don't even know this guy. And now you're moving in with him?" Dad scowls at me, giving me that disappointed look.

"Dad, I am a grown woman. I love Edward and I want to marry him someday. You really don't have a say in this decision. So right now you need to decide how to make this right and stop making everyone uncomfortable," I tell him, trying to stay calm but feeling really hurt.

We have a brief stare off where I know he's trying to intimidate me into giving in but I don't budge. Finally, his shoulders slump slightly and he frowns a little before reaching to me and pulling me into a hug.

"I know you're right sweetie," he says, kissing my forehead. "But you're my baby girl. I just worry about you."

"Look at what Edward has done to help keep me safe," I remind him gently, returning the hug. We join the party again, and even though there is a part of me that is a little disappointed that Edward hasn't proposed yet, I don't let that dampen my enjoyment of the holidays and the time we're able to spend with our families. This year, I have everything I could ever ask for, right in front of me.


	20. Chapter 20

_***Stephanie Meyer owns these characters and I am just borrowing them for a short while.***_

"Are you ready yet?" Edward calls up the stairs.

"Not quite. I just have to get dressed," I call back. I'm trying to get ready for the New Years Eve party we're supposed to attend tonight.

Edward's parents are on the board of the charity who is throwing the party and it's black tie, which makes me nervous. Edward looks phenomenal, as usual, in a classic black tux. Alice provided me with a dress, shoes, and accessories to wear tonight, although I haven't been able to get a glimpse of them until today. My mom had a hay day picking out a fancy evening gown to wear tonight and my dad grumbled the entire time he was being fitted for his tux, but they both said they were excited to go to a fancy party with us.

I open the garment bag that holds my gown and my eyes widen. It's a beautiful gold lace dress with silver sequins covering the bottom hem. It's the perfect dress for a New Years party. I lay it down on the bed and pull a shoe box from the bag Alice gave me. The shoes are perfect and the jewelry she provided compliment both. I slip into the dress and shoes, and then put the bracelet and earrings on. I feel like a princess, which isn't an easy feat for me. Once I gather up my clutch and cell phone, I quickly touch up my lipstick and then walk downstairs.

Edward and my dad are talking sports while my mom straightens dad's bowtie. As I reach the bottom, Edward turns his attention to me and his eyes grow wide. "You look incredible. Wow."

"Alice has outdone herself with that dress!" my mom says, pushing my shoulder so I'll spin in a small circle. I giggle and can feel a blush rise to my cheeks.

"You look beautiful mom," I reply, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "So do you dad."

He grumbles something under his breath about the monkey suit but thanks me anyway. Edward holds my coat up so I can put it on, and as I shrug into it, he presses a kiss to my cheek. "Really, you look so beautiful."

"Not too shabby yourself," I say, picking my clutch up off the table where I'd set it to put my coat on. The four of us climb into the elevator and ride downstairs to where a sleek black limo waits for us. Edward helps me and my mom inside, then walks around to where the chauffeur is waiting and speaks to him quietly.

After he joins us, I ask, "What was that all about?"

"I was just making sure he knew when to pick us up," Edward responds quietly. "Is everyone excited for tonight?" he asks, turning his attention to my parents. We all chat and laugh as we make our way downtown. Traffic is surprisingly heavy and as we drive, I notice Edward acting more and more out of sorts. His hands are sweaty and he can't stop fidgeting.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him when we finally get to the party and step out of the car. He smiles and nods at me, indicating that I should be smiling as well. I forgot for a moment that there would be a lot of photographers there to capture the guest's arrival at the party, so I quickly smile brightly and squeeze his hand in mine. After we get through the crowd of photographers, he helps me with my coat and we head inside the ballroom, hand in hand. The lights are low and there is a full band playing some classic jazz tunes to dance to. My parents are no where to be seen, so we make our way to the bar to pick up a couple drinks.

"I'll have a scotch, neat. What would you like?" Edward asks me. I grab a couple of hors d'oeuvres as a waiter walks by.

"I'd like a martini. Thanks." I quietly nibble on the cheese puff I snatched off the waiter's tray. Edward fiddles with his cuffs.

"I can't get these straight," he finally huffs. I choke out a laugh around my food.

I clear my throat and pull his hand toward me. Quickly I straighten his cuffs, making sure the cufflinks are put in right and then give his arm back. "You look fine. Don't worry. Is that really what's bothering you?"

"I told you, everythings fine. Great even." He smiles, unconvincingly, and takes a long drink of his scotch. Then he quickly sets it back down on the counter and says, "I'll be back in just a minute."

I roll my eyes at his back and drain half of my martini before finishing up my food. If he's going to act weird, then I'm going to make sure I have fun. "Thanks for the drink," I say, tilting my glass to the bartender in thanks and then make my way into the crowd. I see several people I've met at these types of functions and I start up a conversation with a young, up and coming local artist named Rian.

We're deep in discussion about contemporary versus modern art when I feel a hand sneak around my waist. "I wondered where you'd gone. Hey there Rian." Edward shakes hands with him and then joins in on our discussion. He seems much more relaxed so I let the worry I had just float away and enjoy the evening.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take my lovely friend here out for a spin on the dance floor." Rian nods and waves us away.

Once we're on the dance floor, swaying slowly, Edward asks, "So are you having fun?"

"Of course. I always have fun with you. You're my best friend _and_ my boyfriend. It's a double threat. My heart never stood a chance." I kiss him gently on the lips, enjoying the feel of his arms around me and how safe he makes me feel. I'm careful not to squeeze him too tightly - his ribs are still really sore. His other cuts and bruises have healed pretty well, but he's got some scars that will never go away. They make him look even more handsome in my opinion. In the light of day, he doesn't seem fazed by what happened, but he avoids speaking about it to anyone but me. And even then, it's only late at night, when the lights are off and we're in bed and he can't sleep for fear that I'll disappear.

"I'm not ready to go back to work," he whispers in my ear.

I smile and whisper back, "So don't. Let's just quit and run away together. We can go to some tropical island and live off the land."

"If only that was an option. I wouldn't object to seeing you run around in a bikini every day." Tapping his finger to his chin, he looks thoughtful. "We could probably arrange that now, if you were interested."

I playfully push his shoulder. "Nah. Seeing me like that would lose it's novelty."

We finish our dance and as we start the next, my dad taps me on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" he asks gruffly.

"Not at all. Enjoy yourselves." Edward kisses my cheek and heads off the dance floor.

Together, my dad and I dance around the floor. I'm surprised at his dancing ability. "Where'd you learn to dance like this?" I ask.

"Don't underestimate your mom's will power. When she puts her mind to something, she does it. She's dragged me to dance classes for years. I just hid it well." He smiles at the thought. I look over his shoulder as he turns me and see her talking with Esme. They laugh and laugh at something before looking my way and laughing some more.

"Mom and Esme are thick as thieves."

"Yes, they are. I don't think she'll want to leave next week," dad responds. "I guess we'll have to make a trip back here soon." After a few moments he clears his throat. "Look, I want you to know that despite the way it looks, I really like Edward. He's a great guy who obviously loves you and takes care of you. I couldn't find someone better for my daughter to date. I'm glad you're happy. As long as he keeps it that way, then he's the right guy for you."

I feel some tears well up and I quickly swipe them away to avoid messing up my makeup. "Aw dad that means a lot to me. Thank you." I kiss his cheek and then ask, "Did you make sure Edward knows?"

"We're men. We don't talk about feelings," he says, grinning. I roll my eyes and we finish our dance before walking over to where my mom and Esme stand, talking.

We move to a small seating area nearby, eating and drinking, enjoying each other's company. Carlisle and Edward join us eventually and we spend the rest of the evening chatting with co-workers and friends and sometimes sneaking off for a few stolen kisses in the coat check room. Cliche I know, but it's fun. Edward excuses himself around 11:30 and I head to the bathroom for a touch up. While I apply some more lipstick, I can't help but smile. This year has been full of surprises. I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

When I make my way back to where our parents are still talking, I realize Edward isn't with them. I ask the group if anyone has seen him. Most shake their heads but my dad mentions that Edward was heading up to the roof for some fresh air. I frown - he didn't mention that to me. "You might want to take the stairs though. I heard the elevator is broken," my dad continues.

"Okay I'm going to go find him. I'll catch up with you guys in a little bit." I decide to try my luck with the elevator first, but sure enough a man is inside with a toolbox, fiddling with some wires.

"I'm sorry miss. I should have it up and running again in about thirty minutes or so," he apologizes.

I smile, "Don't worry. I can just take the stairs."

He points me in the right direction and I hike my long dress up above my knees to make it easier to climb them. It's only a few flights but in heels and a gown it takes me a little bit longer than it should. Once I reach the roof level, I have to make my way through an empty office to the exit. I can feel the cold night air even through the closed door, so I wrap my arms around myself to try and get warm before I push the door open.

The sight on the other side of the door makes me gasp. The entire roof is covered in flowers, small trees, candles, and twinkle lights. Soft music plays from some hidden speakers and Edward is standing on the other side of the roof with a couple of flutes of champagne. I make my way over to him, smiling like a crazy person at what I see.

"When did you do all of this?" I ask, gesturing to the gorgeous sight.

Edward laughs softly. "I had some help. Alice said to tell you hi."

"Of course it's Alice. Well it's beautiful. Is this what you were so nervous about earlier?" I ask, taking the glass he offered me. I sip it and watch his eyes glow in the soft light.

"Well, sort of." At that, he drops down to one knee.

"Bella. When I first started working for my dad's firm, I thought 'This is it. This is my life. I don't need anything else. Anything else is just a bonus.' I wasn't interested in love or finding the one or anything like that. Then you walked through my door. I couldn't believe a girl like you existed. You were smart, so incredibly smart. And funny. You made me laugh every day, even before we started dating. You were driven and accomplished and had goals you wanted to see through. And you were beautiful. You are beautiful. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life. I can't name the exact moment I fell in love with you. But I suspect it was somewhere between your hair getting stuck in my cufflinks and the night I stopped James from hurting you in that nightclub."

He sticks his hand in his coat pocket and pulls out a small box. "I can't imagine my life without you. I won't imagine it. You make my life better in a million ways, and then some. Will you, Isabella Marie Swan, marry me?" Edward opens up the box and slips the ring I picked out from the velvet cushion.

Struck dumb for a minute at his incredible speech, I blink a couple of times before I can talk. "Yes. YES! Of _course_ I'll marry you!" I kneel down and throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He stands up, pulling me with him, and grabs my hand to slip the ring onto my finger.

"Congratulations!" I hear a group of people call. My mom and dad, Esme and Carlisle, and all of our closest friends step out from behind a nearby wall, holding flutes of champagne. I laugh when my mom sweeps me into her arms, stealing me away from Edward. Mom and dad both hug me tightly. With tears in his eyes, my dad smiles and whispers, "I fully approve of this."

The tears I felt welling up earlier come back full force and a few slip out. "Dad, I love you. Thank you for everything." I give him a huge kiss on the cheek before Alice comes over and pulls me away.

"That was the most romantic proposal EVER," she says very seriously, giving Jasper a sideways glance. "You've got a lot to live up to." She pokes him in the side, winking. Then she grabs my hand to look at the ring. "It's perfect. So you! And it looks incredible with your ensemble, if I do say so myself."

When I start to answer, Edward comes over and interrupts. "Sorry to stop your conversation but I have one last surprise for you guys. Come on over here." He leads us all over to a grouping of benches and we take our seats. He slips his jacket over my shoulders since I don't have my coat and then turns to address the group.

"I'm so glad you could all be here for this. I think we've experienced a lot of ups and downs this year and grown so much closer. We've made new friends and family and gotten through all the rough patches. And for that, I want to thank all of you. This is for you."

He sits down next to me, directing my attention out over the bay. Just at the stroke of midnight, fireworks start up and everyone starts toasting to the New Year. It's the most romantic and amazing surprise anyone has ever done for me. I tell Edward as much and then kiss him deeply, ignoring the jeers from Emmett and the groans from my dad. The fireworks going off over my head can't compare to the ones going off in my heart.

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***8 Months Later***

"You're the only person I know who could pull something like this off in in 8 months," Rosalie says, slipping her earrings in and fluffing her hair.

"I _am_ a genius," Alice replies. She reaches over, adjusting Rose's sleeve and tweaking her hair. "Okay, I want you sitting on that stool until I'm done with Bella. Then we'll get our shoes and we're ready to go. And don't slouch."

Rose makes a mean face at Alice's back and I can't help but burst out into laughter.

"Okay let's get you done." Alice turns me towards the mirror, quickly brushing and curling my hair before pulling it up on my head, two braids across my crown. "Can you finish pinning these?" she asks Rose before she starts on my makeup. Rose straightens the braids, pinning bits here and there and pulling a couple of loose tendrils out. Alice plucks, powders, and lines until her heart's content, and then turns me back to the mirror. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful!" I turn left and right, trying to see every bit of her work. "Thank you. It is exactly what I wanted."

"Now for the piece de resistance!" she cries, pulling me from my chair. I slip the satin robe I'm wearing off and stand still, while Alice climbs up onto a chair and helps Rose place all the layers from my gown over my head. She pulls it down, smoothing out the wrinkles while Rose buttons up the back. After tying the sash into a bow in front, Alice slips my shoes onto my feet and then stands me in front of a large mirror nearby. It's the first time I've seen myself in my wedding dress, completely done up.

"All that's missing is your bouquet. You look gorgeous." Alice wipes away a couple of tears.

"Oh stop you sissy," Rose teases her, throwing an arm around both of our shoulders and hugging us to her. "You guys… it's _that_ day. It's Bell's wedding."

I blink back tears of my own as Alice hurries to put her earrings in and then finishes her own makeup. "Wait. There is one more thing missing," I say, reaching into the tote bag I brought with me. "These." I pull 3 boxes from my bag and hold them out. "You two are my best friends, more like sisters than anything. And I know that even though we're all going to be leading our own lives and starting families of our own, I know we'll always be close. I love you both."

I bought us matching bracelets and we all put them on together as the final pieces to our preparation. Just then, someone knocks on the door. "Do you have time for your old mom to come see you before you walk down the aisle?"

Rose opens the door, pulling the box with our bouquets from my mom's arms. "Of course Renee. Come in!" She sets the box down and pulls them from their vases.

"Oh my baby girl. You look like a princess. Like Grace Kelly." Mom turns me around and lifts my hem to see my shoes. "Something blue! I love it. Okay, here is your something borrowed." She

pulls a handkerchief from her purse and tucks it into the strap of my dress. "It's the one I used on my wedding day. And here is your old." She carefully slips some pearl and turquoise earrings into my earlobes. "They were your grandmother Swan's. Your father and I always wanted you to have them when you got married."

Once everything is in place, she stares at me for several moments and then starts to cry. "I can't believe you're getting married. I love you and Edward so much."

"Mom, don't cry. This is a happy day! Just smile and laugh." I say, hugging her tightly.

"Okay ladies, it's time to get going. We don't want to get behind schedule." Alice hands Rose and I our bouquets and pins the corsage onto Renee's shoulder, then opens the door and ushers us out the door. We walk outside and down a small path to a little gateway. We decided to get married in a local Japanese garden which looks amazing this time of year. Alice stops us and organizes everyone in the order they should be walking. Just then my dad appears. He stops short in his tracks when he sees me and just stares.

"So say something," I joke, embarrassed.

"There are no words," he replies. He walks to my side, clasps my left hand in his right, and kisses me on the cheek. Then he smiles sadly and looks straight ahead. Alice queues up the music and we slowly make our way across the short bridge to where the wedding guests stand and wait. Once I cross the end of the bridge, I look up from the pathway and meet Edward's. He looks at me with a look of wonder on his face and I feel my own smile grow wide and bright. Once we reach him and the officiant, Rose, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett on either side of us, my dad kisses my hand and places it in Edward's.

Everyone sits and the ceremony starts. I listen carefully to each promise and vow that we make and each one resonates within me. Then the officiant says, "Now Edward has something to say to his bride."

I'm completely surprised as I turn to him. He pulls a small card from his jacket pocket and turns to face the guests. "I love this woman. Obviously. That's why we're all here, right? She's my life. I feel like the words in my mind and heart aren't enough to express how I feel about her. So I've borrowed someone else's."

He clears his throat and reads,

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, -I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! - and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death."

As he finishes, I pull the handkerchief from my dress and wipe at my eyes before reaching across to him and stroking his cheek with my fingertips. "That was lovely," I mouth to him. The officiant thanks him and then proceeds to have us exchange rings. "I pronounce these two husband and wife. Edward, kiss your beautiful bride," he closes.

Edward pulls me to him quickly, dipping me down and kissing me passionately. I hear hollars and cat calls but not a part of me cares. I can't believe we're finally married. Rose hands me my bouquet and together we all walk through the park and out the gate to where our cars are. Edward and I take a Town Car to the reception while everyone else in the wedding party takes a limo or their own cars. The reception goes by in a blur - an event full of amazing food, music, dancing, and more love than I feel like I can handle.

Late that night, we sit together at the airport, still dressed in our wedding attire. The valets in the first class lounge are more than happy to help us, getting us complimentary champagne, snacks, and even a masseuse to rub my poor feet after wearing nothing but heels all day. I still don't know where we're heading to and Edward refuses to tell me or let me see any signs that would give it away. He's so insistent on the surprise, that he plans on blindfolding me when we go onto the plane and that we're boarding before others, so the attendants don't give it away either. We sit close together, talking and laughing about the events of the day. I lean my head against his shoulder, feeling content and eventually find myself drifting off.

The next thing I know, I wake up in my seat on the plane, shoes off and headphones on my head with soft music playing. I pull them off and sit up, seeing Edward's happy face beaming at me from the next seat. "You've been asleep for a long time. You must have been really worn out. We're about halfway there. You hungry?"

"Yeah, I'm starved. And I'd like to get out of this dress." The plane is dark and quiet and I have no idea if we're over land or sea but I can't wait to find out where we're going. Edward hands me a bag.

"There's a change of clothes in here. The bathroom is large enough for you to change in and Amy, the stewardess over there, has instructions for your dress. I'll; get you food while you're changing."

It's then that I notice he's already changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He looks comfy but not really dressed for somewhere tropical, so I'm a little surprised. I kind of had this idea that we were going to a tropical island like Hawaii or the Bahamas. I walk into the bathroom and with the help of Amy to get my wedding gown undone and on a hanger, I change quickly, slipping the shift dress and sneakers on. It's totally an Alice outfit, but I like it and it's comfortable. I find a cover for my wedding gown and cover it up, leaving it there for Amy to take care of. Then I make my way back to my seat.

A rectangular covered box and a bottled drink await me on the little table on my seat. "What'd you order?" I ask.

"Oh just a little snack." Edward says, flipping through the channels on his little tv. I sit down and pull the lid off the box. Inside is a sushi roll, some rice crackers, a small salad, and a little dessert cake. I quickly eat, enjoying every bit. After I'm done, the flight attendant takes my dish away and I recline in my seat, covering myself with my blanket and snuggling up against Edward. Together we watch a mini-marathon of some of our favorite tv shows. I find myself falling back asleep. A quick glance at my watch tells me that it's about 7 am in San Fransisco, so I try my hardest to stay awake. Finally, after Edward watches me struggle to keep my eyes open he tells me that I might as well just get some sleep. I let myself fall into a deep and restful sleep, my hand clasped in Edward's lap.

I wake up a few hours later to the sound of the pilot telling us that we're about 45 minutes out from landing. Edward helps me gather things up and I stand to stretch before they make us stay seated.

"So have you figured out where we're going yet?" he asks, giving me a mischievous smile.

"Not yet. I've been asleep most of the ride," I reply, sitting down and buckling my seatbelt.

He hands me the headphones and plugs them into the tv. "You just watch your shows until we land. I don't want anything giving it away. You have to see it to believe it."

I roll my eyes and laugh, but play along. Soon I'm wrapped up in a true crime tv show and then I feel the landing gear drop and we're touching down. I quickly sit up, pulling the headphones off, and try to get a glance out the window. But since we're in the middle row on the plane, we can't see much. "Planned ahead I see."

"Honestly, you wouldn't see much flying in. The airport is a little bit away from our final destination. But never fear. You'll find out soon enough." Edward kisses my hand and sits forward in his chair, full of anticipation.

"We'd like to welcome you to your final destination. It's 4:00 am and about 65 degrees. We hope your stay is enjoyable and thank you for flying Asiana Air."

I shake my head - there was nothing informational in that message!

We taxi to our gate and eventually make our way off the plane. The first thing I notice is that I can't read any of the signs. And the announcements are in another language. It takes me a minute to realize what language I'm hearing.

"You brought me to Japan?!" I shriek, jumping up and down and finally into Edward's arms before I pepper his face with kisses. "I can't believe it!"

He laughs and kisses me back. "I told you I'd bring you here one day. It was just a matter of time." He puts me down, kisses me gently, and picks up our bags so we can get to the luggage carousel.

Bags gathered and tucked into our waiting car with Edward practically bouncing off the walls in excitement, we make our way from the airport to our hotel in downtown Tokyo. As we fly past the brightly lit billboards and listen to the unfamiliar sounds surrounding us, I feel my heart fill up with hope and happiness for the future. We're not perfect. We never will be. Our relationship is flawed and imperfect, but it's exactly what we need. And I know happiness will always be here, with me, as long as we're together.

_owari._

AN: Guys.. I can't believe it's done. I loved writing this. It was a fun little exercise and I'm proud of myself for finishing. You were all awesome. I loved all the reviews and every time my mailbox said that I had a new favorite or follower. You guys really helped me! I feel like I can write and people like what I write and that makes me happy! I hope I did this story justice and I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it.

The poem Edward quoted at the wedding was by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Oh and Owari means "the End" in Japanese, in case you were wondering.


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